Father Knows Best
by needtoknow400
Summary: When Gibbs' father comes for a visit he realizes his father knows more about him than he ever realized.
1. Chapter 1

I want to thank everyone for being patient with me on the new story. Life has been crazy and I had hoped to start posting sooner. I will warn you it will probably be a week or so before I can post another chapter.

Thank you to Srienia my amazing beta reader for being patient with me since I'm working without MS Office right now.

** ##########**

Signing his name to the bottom of the report, he flipped the file shut.

"Done." Tony put his feet up on his desk and leaned back in the chair with a satisfied smile. It was already after eight, everyone else was gone, well except Gibbs who was in MTAC. Gibbs had been playing director for a couple weeks, but Vance was back tomorrow. It not only made Gibbs happy, but Tony as well. With Gibbs playing director, he was responsible for all of Gibbs work and he was more than happy to relinquish that responsibility. Plus with the weekend coming, he was hoping to flip through his little black book and find someone to help him work off the stress of two weeks of staying late, endless paperwork, and no play time.

The hum of the elevator stopping, then the familiar ding of the doors opening made Tony jerk his feet from his desk and sit up straight. Watching as the doors parted, a look of utter confusion washed over his face as the man stepped out and towards the bull pen.

"Jack, what are you doing here?" Gibbs father had never just shown up out of the blue before. It had to be bad, yet Jack was smiling.

"He didn't tell you?"

Tony shook his head.

Jack Gibbs rolled his eyes. Of course not, why would his son tell anyone he was coming for a visit. "They're doing some beautification to the road in front of the store, decided to shut down and come for a visit."

"That's great." Taking a peek at the plastic bag in Jack's hand, Tony quickly looked back up.

Jack chuckled and held out the bag. "Go ahead."

"Thanks Jack." Tony smiled as he snatched the bag from Jack's hand and pulled out the round tin. Opening the lid, Tony inhaled deeply. He picked out a cookie, took a bite and groaned contently.

"Awesome." He said through a mouthful of cookie.

"I'm glad." Jack leaned back against Ziva's empty desk. "He still in meetings?"

"Yeah." Tony nodded. "You take a cab?"

"He sent a car to bring me here."

"I was getting ready to leave. I can take you to Gibbs'."

"Okay." Jack nodded. "He got beer at the house?"

"As of two days ago yes, but." Tony closed the tin and shoved it back in the bag. "He's playing director so I'd say it's long gone."

Jack chuckled. "Then we'll stop on the way."

"Let me grab my stuff." Turning off his computer, Tony grabbed his backpack and tossed the files on Gibbs' desk. "Let's hit it."

############

"He really did that?" Tony managed to say through his laughter.

"Oh yeah." Jack laughed as well. "He was trying to impress someone."

"Probably some girl." Tony snickered. Why else does a teenage boy pretend he can ride a motorcycle when he can't?

Jack took a swig of beer. "Can't believe he's never told you that."

"Gibbs!" Tony shook his head. "Not really one to share, especially personal stories."

"Yeah," Jack sighed. "Not sure where he got that from."

After a minute of deliberation, Tony asked. "Was his mom outgoing?"

Jack chuckled. "Oh yeah. She could talk to anyone. Smart as a whip and as pretty as any of those Hollywood starlets." He glanced at Tony. "Reminded me of Hedy Lamarr."

"Oohhh." Tony clutched at his chest.

"Yeah." Jack grinned. "She was a looker."

"I bet she was." Tony grinned back.

"He's got a lot of her in him." Jack's voice hid a hint of sadness. "She was stubborn as hell, but loyal and compassionate." He shook his finger towards Tony. "And don't you dare mess with the people she cared about and loved because she would pounce like a momma bear protecting her cubs."

"Gibbs is definitely like that." Tony took a swig of his beer. "Believe me I've seen what he does to someone who goes after the people he loves."

"We both have."

"Right." Tony nodded. Jack had experience first-hand how Gibbs set up Paloma Reynosa when she went after him and the team.

Jack leaned forward in the chair and looked at Tony a seriousness in his eyes. "You two are close."

"Um." Tony's brow furrowed. "Yeah, I like to think so."

"You think so." Jack snickered.

Why did this question always trip him up? Tony shrugged. "He's family and I have his six 24/7-"

"But." Jacked knew there was a but, there's always a but when it comes to his son and relationships of any kind.

Tony sank back into the couch and stared at his beer bottle. He avoided using but. "No matter how close I get to Gibbs there's still this chasm between us."

"Interesting word choice?" For years, Jack had felt a high thick wall between himself and his son, but a chasm? "A wall I understand, I've been there."

"No." Tony shook his head. "A wall you can break through, climb over...a chasm is too wide to even try and build something across, at least without the right tools and Gibbs definitely doesn't give you the tools to do that."

Taken aback by Tony's frank and honest explanation, Jack leaned back in the chair. "You know he really does care about you."

"I know." Tony gave a half-hearted smile. He truly didn't doubt that. Suddenly his eyebrow went up. "And how do you know Gibbs cares?"

Jack grinned at Tony's question. "Occasionally my son does talk to me."

"He talks to you about me?" Tony's interest was piqued. To have some kind of first-hand knowledge, an insight into the inner thoughts of Gibbs was like finding the Holy Grail.

"He has." A nice short answer that Jack knew would only intrigue Tony more.

Tony stared at Jack for a minute, then jerked wildly. "Oh come on, you gotta give me more than that!"

"The explosion." Jack saw the sadness instantly settle in Tony's eyes. "He called when you were trapped in the elevator, he was worried. More worried than I'd heard him in a long time."

"Really?" That was interesting given the fact that Gibbs hadn't even stayed to make sure he and Ziva were safely out before disappearing. Still, calling Jack about it seemed odd.

"We talked until he got the call that you'd been rescued."

"Ziva and I."

"What?" Jack looked at him confused.

"Ziva and I were rescued, she and I were in the elevator."

"Huh." Jack scratched his head. "He never said anything about Ziva being with you."

"What?" It was Tony's turn to look confused. "He never said anything about it being Ziva and I trapped in the elevator?"

Jack shook his head. "Just said he wanted to talk until they called to say you were safe."

Okay that was weird. It was nothing. Tony told himself. Maybe Jack just forgot about Gibbs mentioning Ziva.

"Enough deep talk." Jack snapped. "I need another beer."

Pushing the thought from his head, Tony jumped on. "I'll grab them."

#######

Pushing open the door, the sound of laughter filled the house and rang in his ears.

"Oh come on!"

He heard the familiar voice say as he made his way into the living room. Stopping just across the threshold, he looked at the two men. Tony sitting on the couch clutching his stomach still laughing. His father on the chair laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes. Both of them with a beer in their hand and six empty bottles on the coffee table.

Sensing the presence, Jack looked up and met his son's gaze. "Son."

"Dad." Gibbs nodded then looked at Tony who had finally started to control his laughter.

"Hey Gibbs." Tony said still chuckling softly. "Your dad was just telling me about the girl-"

Jack cleared his throat and glared at Tony.

"Right." Tony pretended to zip his lips.

Gibbs shook his head and went into the kitchen. "You leave me any beer?"

"Yep a whole six pack." Tony smiled as Gibbs walked into the living room with a bottle. "I figured you would be out after these last couple days as Director."

Gibbs gave a grunt in agreement as he opened the beer and took a long drink downing half the bottle. He tipped his head at Tony. "How many of those are yours?"

Tony glanced at the bottles on the coffee table. "Three."

"Then you'll be sleeping on the couch." Gibbs looked at his dad. "You'll take the bed upstairs."

"And you?" Jack asked.

"I'll be in the basement." Gibbs said as he walked away.

Jack looked over at Tony. "Is he pissed?"

Tony shook his head. "He's always like this when he has to play director."

"I'd prefer the couch if you don't mind."

"Sure." Getting up, Tony paused. "I'm gonna go-"

"Go." Jack smiled. "I'll get rid of these bottles."

"Thanks." Tony stepped into the kitchen, grabbed a beer from the fridge and headed down to the basement.

Jack just shook his head.

##########

Silently, Tony walked down the basement steps and towards the table where Gibbs was carving into a piece of wood. He sat the beer down on the table, picked up the empty one and tossed it into the trash. He smiled to himself when he noticed the sawhorse already sitting by the table. Taking a seat he picked up a chisel and looked at it.

Gibbs grabbed the bottle and took a swig. He carved a few more lines then spoke. "Thanks."

"Sure."

"And for bringing dad here."

"You know how much I like Jack." Tony and Jack had bonded instantly that first time they met and had grown closer during each of Jacks visit to D.C.

"Yeah, you two are peas in a pod." Gibbs mumbled.

"Hey now." Tony snapped and he waited for Gibbs to look up then pointed his finger at the older man. "Your days as director are over so I want basic grumpy bastard Gibbs back not annoyed beyond belief at all the crap I have to do as director grumpy bastard Gibbs!" It took a second, but that little half smirk curled on the corner of Gibbs' lips. "That's better." Tony smiled.

"Leon called before I left, his plane landed on time."

"Good, then you really are done being Director." Tony's smile widened.

"I am." And Gibbs was never so grateful. "I can only imagine the stories he was telling you."

Tony held up his hands. "Don't ask I have "crossed my heart and hoped to die" promised not to disclose anything said."

"Wasn't gonna ask." Gibbs chuckled. He'd never admit it, but he was glad Tony and his dad got a long so well. Tony saw Jack as the kind of father he always had wanted and Gibbs was sure Jack saw Tony as the son he probably would have liked to have.

"Good because you may be my boss, but I'm sorry Jack's my homeboy."

Gibbs couldn't help it, he chuckled.

"Although I can say he showed me a picture of your mother." Tony said it without thinking. "She was beautiful, you have her smile."

"She was beautiful." Gibbs said with a somber smile.

"A beautiful red head." Tony had always thought the red head thing started with Shannon...seemed it might go a little deeper than that.

His gaze locked on Tony's a moment, then left as he went back to the carving.

_And there is the chasm._ A conversation gets personal and Gibbs shuts him out. Tony sighed. "I should head to bed."

"Night." Gibbs said without looking up.

"Night." Tony said as he made his way up the steps and into the living room. He paused when he saw Jack already asleep on the couch. Stepping quietly, Tony turned off the end table light then went upstairs in the darkness. He'd crashed here enough to not need any light to guide him. Everyone always assumed he slept on the couch, but truth was he almost always slept upstairs, per Gibbs' orders. He was almost positive Gibbs rarely slept in the bed upstairs, it never smelled like him, not even a hint of old spice or wood.

###########

Making his way to the coffee pot, Gibbs poured a cup and went to the kitchen table where his father sat already reading the paper. Gibbs grabbed the sports page and started reading. This was one of the things he enjoyed about his dad staying. His dad was an early riser like himself and coffee was always made by the time he was up.

"Want me to check on Tony?"

Glancing at his watch, Gibbs shook his head. "Let him sleep it's early."

Still staring at the paper in his hand, Jack spoke. "Why do you shut him out?"

Gibbs didn't reply.

"He's a good man." A pause. "Loyal." Pause. "Trustworthy."

Still nothing.

"And he actually gives a crap about you for some reason."

Gibbs rolled his eyes behind the paper. "Already know all this."

Jack took a sip of coffee, flipped to the next page of the paper and continued. "Would it kill ya to actually open up a little bit to him."

"Might."

Putting the paper down, Jack glared over at his son.

"Let it go." Gibbs never looked over, ignoring the glare he could feel boring into the side of his face.

Jack shook his head and went back to the paper.

############

Both of the Gibbs men looked up as they heard what sounded like a stampede above them and it move down the stairs and Tony came running through the living room into the kitchen. He had managed to tug on his pants, but they weren't fastened. His shirt was thrown over his shoulder and he had one shoe under his left arm, the other on his right foot.

"What time is it?" He barked, then looked at Gibbs some of the tension leaving his body when he realized if Gibbs was still here he wasn't late.

"Sit." Gibbs ordered in his boss tone and Tony instantly dropped down into the chair at the table. "You have plenty of time."

Tony let out a long breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "I need to get home and get some clothes though."

"Closet upstairs." Gibbs said still skimming through the paper.

"Good." Tony sighed.

Jack let the paper fall forward and he looked at Tony. "You have clothes here?"

"Well if it's the suit I'm thinking of it's because the heater went out at my apartment a couple weeks ago and I stayed here the night it was getting fixed."

"That's the suit." Gibbs confirmed.

"It was the suit I came here in." Tony paused and looked over at Gibbs. "Is it clean?"

Gibbs nodded.

"Thanks." Tony smiled then turned back to Jack.

"You stay here a lot?"

"Now and then."

"You have a drawer full of clothes upstairs don't you?" Jack smirked.

Tony's eyes danced back and forth between the two Gibbs men as if he was afraid to answer truthfully. Not that he was ashamed to admit there was a drawer of odd ball clothing of his upstairs, but because if you didn't know the situation you might take it the wrong way.

"Yes." Gibbs finally answered for Tony. "Tony and Abby both have a drawer upstairs."

Jack and Tony both turned to Gibbs and raised an eyebrow.

"Really?" Jack grinned.

Gibbs pointed a finger at Tony. "You know better." Then he looked at his dad. "And you get your mind out of the gutter." He knew all too well his dad's little crush on Abby and Ziva.

Tony put his hand over his mouth and tried to fight back the laughter.

"What she's a beautiful woman, you're a good looking man." Jack shrugged. "You're both adults."

"STOP!" Gibbs hollered.

"Just saying." Jack winked at Tony.

"I thought they were sleeping together when I first started at NCIS." Tony felt his head slammed forward. _Damn when would he learn to keep his mouth shut_. In a very serious voice Tony added. "But as time went on I realized that their relationship is that of a father and daughter."

Jack chuckled. "You train him to say that?"

Tossing down the paper, Gibbs pushed himself away from the table. "I'm getting ready for work."

Waiting until Gibbs was safely upstairs, Jack leaned across the table towards Tony. "He seems a little sensitive about that."

"She really is like a daughter to him." Tony sighed. "Plus there's the whole rule twelve."

"Rule twelve?" Tony had mentioned the rules before.

"Yeah see Gibbs' rule twelve." Tony explained. "Is never date a co-worker."

"Never?"

Tony moved his head from side to side. "Well-"

"Knowing my son, he broke it."

"Not really, kinda why there is a rule twelve."

"Ah." Jack nodded knowingly. "He dated a co-worker then made the rule."

"Yes." Tony nodded deeply.

"Red head?"

"Yep." Tony smirked. "But really, Abby is a daughter to him, no hanky panky. She teases him about being our silver haired fox. It's all in good fun."

"My son's a good looking man, takes after his father."

"He's a very attractive man." Tony said without hesitation, then his eyes widened and he froze. "I mean I guess as men go he's good looking, he doesn't seem to have a problem getting women. Not that he dates a lot, but I mean we come in contact with a lot of beautiful women during cases and a lot of them have shown their interest. I've only known a couple, I mean he's not really the settle down kinda guy, but-"

"I get it." Jack patted Tony's hand. "Believe me...I get it."


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks so much for all the kind reviews and missed you comments. Much more of this story to come, just may take me a week or so between chapters, but we will get there.

Again, a special thanks to my beta reader Srienia. I can never say thank you enough :)

**##########**

Sitting at his desk rubbing his forehead, Gibbs glanced at his watch for the third time in ten minutes. No case had made for a very long and slow day. He looked over at Tony's desk it was still empty. Again, Gibbs peered at his watch. Tony had gotten a call on his cell twenty minutes ago, walked away and he still wasn't back. Just as the thought of going to find Tony crossed his mind, his Senior Field Agent strolled into the bullpen a smile on his face.

Gibbs knew that smile, Tony had just lined up a big date for this weekend. Over a decade of working together he had learned every one of Tony's smiles and what they meant. Tony sat down and he watched the smile quickly fade from the younger man's lips. T_hat was different._ Usually the big date smile stayed plastered on Tony's face for at least a few hours or until a head slap and "stop grinning like an idiot" erased it. Pretending to stretch, he glanced at Tony again then back to his file. Another smile had returned to Tony's face. This one, the smile of excitement, but with a hint of trepidation. _Interesting._ Maybe Tony really liked this one.

Funny after all this time, Gibbs had never experienced Tony dating someone. All he ever saw was the DiNozzo flirting process to get a woman's number. There was EJ, but he hadn't really witness their relationship first hand, just some sideways glances. Plus once he'd told Tony exactly what he thought about the relationship and breaking rule twelve, the younger man made sure to hide any hint of the continued relationship. From what Gibbs had gleamed from the gossip around NCIS, Tony was charming, debonair, and surprisingly not pushy about rushing sex. That still seemed hard to believe given Tony's continuous declaration of his hyperactive libido and his desire not to go more than a week without sex. He chuckled to himself, he wondered how Tony handled that while he was agent afloat.

"Night Boss." McGee said as he gathered his bag to leave.

Pulling himself from his thoughts, Gibbs managed a good night. He glanced over and saw Ziva shove a few things in her bag, then throw it over her shoulder.

"Night Gibbs." She said already headed towards the elevator.

Gibbs' rubbed his chin. She was definitely seeing someone, for the last few weeks she had been hurrying out of work most nights. Like Tony, Ziva had her own tells. Rushing out on any day other than a Friday meant there was a new man in her life. She'd tell him when she was ready, when she was sure it was more than a casual thing. If it went beyond casual, that's when she introduced a man to him, it usually meant she wanted his approval. He'd only met one man since Ray Cruz and it wasn't at Ziva's request. A guy she was dating decided to show up when all of them were out one night at a bar after a tough case. His pushiness pretty much ended that relationship.

Tony glanced over and saw Gibbs deep in thought. Yeah, he'd noticed Ziva had been rushing out of work as well. "She's seeing someone."

Gibbs nodded. Tony was almost as observant of people's behavior as he was, especially their little family.

"She's happy. I heard her and Abby giggling like school girls about it."

Another nod. That's all Gibbs wanted for any of his family. A relationship with someone that treated them right and made them happy.

"Any big plans for you and your dad tonight?" Tony asked as he turned off his computer.

"No." Gibbs sighed as he ran his hands down his face. "I'll pick up some Chinese on the way home."

"Maybe we could all get together tomorrow night after work." Tony was always up for everyone getting together. "I know Abby and Ziva want to see your dad. Friday night, not a school night."

"We'll see."

Tony nodded. That was Gibbs speak for highly unlikely. "Have a good night."

"Yeah." Sitting alone in the bullpen, Jack's words nagged at Gibbs. _Would it kill ya to actually open up a little bit to him._ He had been trying to do that for years, but he knew it was superficial. Still Tony knew him better than just about anyone, except Ducky and maybe Fornell. He told himself he'd try harder, but he knew at this point, it was an empty promise.

* * *

Jack was walking out of the kitchen with a bottled water when Gibbs appeared in the living room with a bag he'd become well acquainted with when he came for a visit. "You're home early."

"No case today." Gibbs put the bag down on the table and headed into the kitchen. He grabbed a fork for his dad then returned dropping down at the end of the table.

Unpacking the boxes, Jack coughed and shook his head as he put a container down in front of Gibbs. "Makes my eyes water just smelling it."

Gibbs snicker as he tore open some chopsticks, then popped open his container, taking a mouthful.

They ate in silence for a while until Gibbs spoke. "Everyone wants to see you."

Jack grinned. "Tony told everyone I was here?"

Gibbs nodded.

"Having everyone here or going out?"

Gibbs shrugged. "Whatever you're up for."

"You all still go to the bar down from NCIS?"

"Yeah." Well at least everyone else went there, Gibbs hadn't been out with anyone since Palmer's fake bachelor party, the real one of which never seemed to get rescheduled.

"Bar sounds good."

Another nod and Gibbs went back to focusing on eating.

"You seeing anyone?"

The question made Gibbs chopsticks full of food stop before reaching his mouth. Then he slowly dropped it back into the container.

"I'll take that as a no." Jack chuckled.

"No." Gibbs stated adamantly. "Absolutely not."

"You don't even know what I was gonna ask."

"Yes I do." Gibbs balked, snatched up his contained and retreated into the living room.

"One date, that's all."

Gibbs dropped down onto the couch. "No."

"It will do you good to get out of the house."

"No." Gibbs repeated.

"Is that your final answer?" Jack asked now standing in the door way to the living room.

"Yes."

"Okay." Jack nodded, then walked over and sat down in the chair by the couch. "Got a call from Anges today."

"Yeah."

"Yeah." Jack paused. "The work in front of the store is gonna take longer than they thought."

Gibbs stopped and asked through a mouthful of food. "How long?"

"Couple more weeks."

Swallowing hard, the food hit Gibbs' stomach like a brick.

"Thought I might go ahead and spend the extra time here." Jack smirked to himself. "Maybe make you some beef stroganoff."

Gibbs head dropped forward and he exhaled deeply. "This is blackmail."

"I like to think of it as creative persuasion."

Gibbs tossed the container of half eaten food on the coffee table and sprang up. He stormed into the kitchen and grabbed a beer from the fridge slamming the door. Taking a deep breath, he returned to the living room and sat back down. "So whose sister, cousin, or niece is it?" It had to be a woman from one of the Stillwater families that had moved to the area.

"Don't worry about that." Jack said waving the question off. "Saturday, seven at Fogo de Chao."

"Fogo what?" Gibbs spat. "Is this one of those 'wear a suit and spend way too much money' places?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "No, it's a steak place, they have a full bar."

"What's her name?"

"It's a blind date, you'll find out everything when you get there." Jack stood up and headed back towards the table and his food.

Gibbs glared at the back of his father's head. "You're blackmailing me into a blind date. It's one of the Klein girls or their offspring isn't it?"

"Those girls are perfectly fine...they just need some dental work...and maybe a nose job."

Running his hands down his face, Gibbs clenched his jaw. This was going to be a disaster!

"Reservation is under my name." Jack added as he sat back down and started eating.

"Fine." Gibbs balked. He glared at Jack again. "And no one hears about this tomorrow, understood?"

Jack nodded. "Agreed."

"Good." That was the last thing he needed, everyone pestering him Monday morning about how a blind date went.

* * *

Abby thought Gibbs had gone for a cup of coffee and was about to stroll into the bullpen, when she saw Tony running his hand across his neck and shaking his head. She spun around about to run back towards the elevator when she felt the tug on the back of her shirt. Stopping instantly she squeezed her eyes shut as if she expected her first head slap.

"I know this is the third time I've been up here for no apparent reason, but we only have five minutes left and I have everything done including the retesting of the water sample so I was just going to come up here to silently wait for the school day to end." She grinned knowing Gibbs would sense it.

He rolled his eyes, but released her and sat down at his desk, fresh cup of coffee in hand.

"Are you picking your dad up?"

Gibbs looked up at her.

"Right...I said I would wait silently."

The elevator dinged and Jack stepped off.

"JACK!" Abby screamed running towards the older man and throwing her arms around him.

A wide smile spread across Jack's face as he embraced the young woman.

"I'm so excited to see you." She pulled back. "I have so much to tell you since we skyped a few weeks ago. That guy I was seeing." She rolled her eyes. "Total flake and I'm training a new dog, her name's Farrah."

_Skyped?_ Gibbs did actually know what Skype was, hard not to with the people around him all using it, but he had no idea that Abby and his father Skyped. He shouldn't be surprised, all of them loved his father, hell they probably all skyped with him. His father actually stayed up on all the current technology, even had some smart phone or something.

"Are we all driving separately?" Abby asked having stepped aside and letting Ziva hug Jack.

"Whatever works." Gibbs shrugged.

"Well I picked McGee up this morning, I can take one more person." Everyone looked at her confused. "I have Farrah's travel cage in the back seat so I can only fit one back there."

"I'll ride with you." Ziva cut in. "I took the bus this morning."

"That leaves Tony, Palmer and Ducky." Abby looked towards the elevator expected to see their other friends appear like magic

"Body, they aren't coming." Gibbs grabbed his keys. "Tony's with us."

Tony groaned, his head falling back, but then it shot back up. "Wait please tell me you have the truck."

"I have the truck." Gibbs smirked. Tony loved the new truck, with the extended cab there was no worrying about who sat in the middle and got scrunched.

"Sweet." Tony smiled following everyone towards the elevator.

"Shotgun." Jack called out with a snicker.

"Damn it!" Tony winced.

* * *

Sitting at one of the large tables towards the middle of the bar, Gibbs sat back. He had placed himself at the one end of the table, his father at the other. Ziva and Abby on either side of Jack. McGee beside Abby, Tony beside Ziva. He watched the people around him, they talked and laughed. Jack as always, was the life of the party, telling tales of Stillwater, but surprisingly focusing on stories that didn't include his son which Gibbs was grateful for. Suddenly having a sense of being watched, Gibbs peered out of the corner of his eye and saw the two women at the bar eying Tony as they whispered to each other.

"You have admirers." Gibbs said glancing over at Tony, then nodding towards the bar.

Turning to look over his shoulder, Tony's eyes landed on the two women and they both waved. He nonchalantly waved back then looked back at Gibbs with a grin. "Maybe they're admiring you."

Gibbs scoffed. "Little young for me."

"Oh come on." Tony took a quick peek back over at the women. "They're in their early thirties."

This time Gibbs looked over at them for a moment, again the women smiled and waved. He's gaze returned to Tony. "Thirties really?" They seemed mid to late twenty to Gibbs.

"Yeah." Tony smirked. "It's the lighting, bar lighting always makes you look younger."

Shaking his head, Gibbs chuckled.

Tony took a swig of his beer and was again listening to the story Jack was telling.

McGee raised an eyebrow at Tony.

Seeing the look, Tony questioned. "What?"

"Not even going to go get a number?" McGee seemed surprised.

"Friends are more important."

"Since when?" McGee chortled.

"Since always McSmartass." Tony glared.

Rolling his eyes, McGee left it at that.

"I'm sure no one will care." Gibbs took up where McGee left off.

"What are you trying to say?" With a mock hurt expression, Tony touched his chest. "That my charming wit isn't appreciated here?"

Gibbs tipped his head to the side. "Yes."

Pretending to hold a dagger, Tony stabbed it into his chest. "Ouch!"

"Go ahead Casanova." Gibbs took another glance at the women. "Show us your skills"

"Skills." Tony waved his hand at Gibbs. "Doesn't take skill to reel in a woman who is obviously already interested, well two women."

"Then reel away." Gibbs leaned back in his chair. "I would think you'd jump at the chance to...catch two women."

"Fine!" Shoving his chair back, Tony stood up and pulled down his jacket before turning on that DiNozzo smile and heading towards the bar.

"He's going to end up going home with both of them." McGee sighed with a shake of his head.

"That so."

"Yeah." McGee had played Tony's wing man countless times. "It's like a moth to a flame, women can't resist...men too."

Gibbs head slowly turned towards the Probie. "Really?"

McGee nodded.

"How did Tony react to that?"

"Flattered." McGee shrugged. "Always nice about turning the guy down."

"Huh." Gibbs focus shifted back to Tony and the two women. A blond and a brunette, both beautiful. The blond was laughing at something Tony said and touching his arm. The brunette leaned in and whispered in Tony's ear, the man's eyes widened, he looked at her said something then looked over to the table and pointed to McGee.

"Think he's calling his wing man."

"Me." McGee said as he pointed at himself.

Tony shook his head and pointed again.

McGee fought back an outright laugh. "I think he's talking to you boss."

Gibbs' eye narrowed and he shook his head.

Tony nodded at him.

Again, Gibbs shook his head.

Making a quick excuse to the women, Tony hurried back to the table, dropping down into the chair next to Gibbs.

"No! You wanted to see my skills, here you go." Tony barked, then smiled back at the women, the smile faded when he looked at Gibbs again. "Theresa, the brunette is into you."

Gibbs leaned forward and openly looked at the brunette. She bit her lip coyly and gave him a wave. "You gotta be kidding me?" He rolled his eyes. She was way too young and not his type at all.

"Just go over there, buy her a drink. I'll try and carry the conversation as much as I can with the both of them." Tony decided to play on Gibbs competitiveness. "Maybe you'll learn something."

Straightening his back, Gibbs glared at his Senior Field Agent. "You wish."

"Then show me what you got." Tony said with a cocky smirk.

Without a word, Gibbs stood up and made his way towards the bar.

"This is not going to end well." McGee proclaimed. "You never provoke Gibbs, why haven't you learned that yet?"

"Oh come on." Tony chuckled. "You know Gibbs, he'll get bored. She's too young, has absolutely nothing in common with him, he'll be back here at the table in less than twenty minutes."

"I don't think so." McGee was staring over at the bar.

Following McGee's stare, Tony's mouth dropped open. Gibbs was laughing, both women hanging on his every word. Theresa with her arm wrapped around Gibbs', Michelle the blond was just as enthralled laughing her body angled sideways against the older man.

"Damn it." Tony hissed.

"I told you." McGee repeated his earlier statement, with an addition. "Not gonna end well...at least for you."

Shooting McGee a final darted stare, Tony jumped up and practically ran towards the bar.

Shaking his head, McGee chuckled.

"Tony's going home alone tonight." Abby smirked.

"Yep." McGee said not realizing Abby had been paying attention.

"Bossman's got mad skills, especially when he's been challenged." Abby sighed. "Even after all these years Tony never learns."

"No he doesn't." Tony might be a player, good looking, younger, charming, skilled at the chase, but Gibbs was Gary Cooper, James Dean and Paul Newman all rolled into one. The classic man women loved. Steel blue eyes and a quirky smirk that women loved. Hell, they had all seen Gibbs charm a woman once or twice. Sometimes as part of a case, but then there had been the mysterious red head, Colonel Mann and Doctor Ryan, even M. Allison Hart had fallen for Gibbs, not to mention Director Sheppard.

Abby put her head on McGee's shoulder as she watched the scene play out before her like it was more compelling than any latest blockbuster she might see in a theater. Abby's eyes widened. "Did that blond just push Tony's hand off her hip."

"Yes, yes she did." Oh this was so going to be ugly. McGee wondered what excuse Tony would make up as to why both women were suddenly interested in Gibbs rather than him.

"It's not going to be pretty when Tony comes back to the table alone." Abby said letting out a deep breath. "But on the upside, maybe Gibbs will get lucky."

"Really think Gibbs would go for one of them?" McGee raised an eyebrow.

"Why not, even Gibbs needs to get his freak on."

"Amen to that."

Abby and McGee stared down the table at Jack, a Cheshire grin plastering itself on Abby's face. "Go Jack."

"So what started that?" Jack asked nodding towards the bar.

"Tony challenged him." McGee smirked.

Jack shook his head. "Never challenge a Gibbs, about anything."

They all nodded in agreement.

Like Abby, Jack was now watching the challenge play out. Both women truly seemed intrigued by his son, drawn to the natural magnetism the younger Gibbs possessed. _Just like his mother_. Ran through Jack's mind. The next thought made his eyes narrow and a strange expression set about his face. He shook his head hoping the look would go unnoticed, but when he looked down the table Abby was looking with a questioning stare.

"Something wrong?"

"No." Jack smiled proudly and lied about what he had been thinking. "He definitely gets his luck with the ladies from me." _Not only his luck with the ladies, but his ability to lie when what he was really thinking couldn't be said._

"I'm sure he does." Abby winked.

* * *

"You really build everything by hand?" Theresa asked taking Gibbs' hand, turning it over and running a finger over his palm.

Gibbs nodded with a slight smile.

"So you must be really good with your hands." Michelle winked touching Gibbs' shoulder. "I mean to build something out of wood like that."

Another nod, then in a low soothing voice Gibbs spoke as he held Theresa's arm out before him. "You have to really feel the wood, see it." His fingers feathered across her skin raising goosebumps on her flesh. "See not only the superficial beauty, but the deeper more alluring beauty lying just underneath the surface." He drew in a long slow breath. "Then you patiently work the wood, caress it, make it malleable." His hand massaged her arm. "Until finally the splendor burst forth."

"Oh come on, are you kidding me!" Tony scoffed as he rolled his eyes.

Both women gave him an angry glare.

He smacked his forehead and groaned as he scuffed back to the table and plopped down in a chair.

"I told you." McGee sighed as Abby patty Tony's hand.

"When will I learn." Tony shook his head. "Never ever challenge the Gibbs."

Jack chuckled at the other end of the table.

"You're the same way." Tony glared playfully down the table at Jack. "Gaze at a women with those piercing steel blue eyes, smile that crooked little smile and women swoon."

The exact smile Tony described curled at the corner of Jack's lips. Abby and Ziva both stared at him longingly as if swooning over the older man.

"See!" Tony threw up his hands. "How can anyone compete with that."

"I'm sure you do just fine...normally." Jack snickered. "But we can really turn it on when we feel challenged."

"I need to learn to build things." Tony groaned folding his arms onto the table and dropping his head onto them.

"He used the wood metaphor right?" Abby giggled.

Tony jerked his head up. "I have seen Gibbs build things, in every shape and form through every stage and it is never like he just explained!"

"Nope, but it sounds sexy as hell doesn't it?"

"Sexy wasn't exactly my first thought...creepy." Tony shook his finger and nodded. "That was my first thought."

Out of the corner of his eye, Jack watched his son give each woman a kiss on the cheek and head back towards the table.

Tony glared over at Gibbs as the older man sat down and took a swig of the half empty beer in his hand.

"Nice girls." Gibbs nodded.

"Did you get the digits?" Abby asked with a grin.

Gibbs tossed down two slips of paper on the table.

McGee smirked.

"Nice girls." Tony said listening to the exchange then laughing and shaking his head. "You're a barely functioning mute 90 percent of the time, but challenge your virility with woman and you become Richard freakin' Gere in American Gigolo!"

Taking another sip, Gibbs sat back and looked at Tony. "The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do."

Tony squared his jaw.

"Thomas Jefferson." Gibbs added.

"Problem is you still haven't realized when more than one is needed." The barb was quick and right on target. Waiting, thinking maybe, just maybe he might get a reply, but of course there was none. Tony got up and headed towards the end of the bar opposite the girls.

All eyes were downcast, nervously staring at the table, except for Jack. Mirror blue eyes stared at each other. Jack knew Tony's outburst was about more than his son's skill with women, the anger went deeper than that.

Swallowing the anger, Gibbs took a deep breath, then finished off the beer in his hand. He got up and was about to head to the bar when he realized Tony wasn't there.

"It's time to go." Jack stood up and the table followed his lead. Everyone was saying their goodbye's hugging Jack and nodding good night to Gibbs. Abby was the only one to approach the silver haired fox.

"He'll take a cab home." Abby knew Gibbs would never admit being worried about Tony, but at least she could say it and reassure herself. "And then get his car in the morning."

"Night Abs." Gibbs placed a kiss on her forehead and instantly headed for the door.

* * *

Gibbs was already inside and half way up the stairs when his father walked in and closed the door behind him.

"And I thought I drove fast." Jack grumbled as he sat down on the couch and waited. His son was angry which meant he was upstairs changing and in a few seconds would be storming down the stairs, to storm down the other stairs and into the basement. Working with wood, building something was Jethro's figurative punching bag, when a punching bag was not around. That he'd always known about his son, although when Jethro was younger it was models or boats in a bottle. Jack paused in his thought realizing Jethro hadn't come down the stairs and there was no movement upstairs.

"Huh." Jack rubbed his chin and waited a few more minutes still expecting to hear the heavy footsteps on the floor above him. When they never came he grabbed the pillow and blanket and made up the couch. Lying down he stared up at the ceiling. Like Jethro, Jack had a natural ability to read people, even his son in most cases, but this kind of reaction he'd never seen before. Maybe he was wrong about all this. He shook his head. No he was right..and if he wasn't, well it might be another decade before he saw his son again.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks so much for all the reviews and kind words in PM's. So glad everyone is enjoying this so far and hope you all continue to enjoy it :) **HUGS TO ALL**

And as always, thank you to Srienia my wonderful Beta Reader for all her hard work and dedication.

##########

Gibbs shook his head when he reached the bottom of the steps and saw the couch empty. Four thirty in the morning and his father was still up before him. He silently walked by the table and to the coffee pot. Cup in hand, Gibbs took a seat at the table ignoring the front page of the paper that had been laid out for him. He just wanted coffee and some peace and quiet this morning.

"You okay this morning?" Jack asked from behind his paper.

"Yeah." Gibbs nodded, wishing that was the only question his dad was going to ask, but knowing that wouldn't be the case. A moment of silence.

"You and Tony always like that?"

Gibbs sighed. "Why are you so worried about Tony and me?"

Jack shrugged. "Just interesting...you two know how to push each other's buttons."

"Yep." Gibbs took a sip of his coffee. Tony had learned how to push his buttons early on and had only gotten more skilled at it as the years went by.

Another moment of silence.

Jack took a long drink from his coffee and put the paper down on the table. A small smirk pulled at the corners of his lips.

"What?" Gibbs grumbled.

"Kinda funny." Jack chuckled. "He's put up with your crap for twelve years, hell most of your ex-wives couldn't last more than a year or two."

Running his hands down his face, Gibbs groaned. "Thanks."

"Just saying, guy deserves some credit."

"For putting up with me?" Gibbs scoffed.

"Yeah." Jack nodded.

"And what about me putting up with him?" Gibbs shook his head. "The constant movie references, chasing and screwing every woman that comes within a mile of him, losing his focus every week because he's after some new woman, having a relationship with another agent, when I told him not to!"

Jack's eyebrow went up. "You tell Tony who he can and can't date?"

Gibbs clenched his jaw.

"You seem awfully interested in Tony's love life." Jack saw the tightness in his son's jawline. "I didn't realize you as his boss got a say in that."

"I don't, believe me if I did I'd make sure-" Gibbs stopped abruptly, then stood up. "I'll be in the basement." Coffee in hand, Gibbs descended into the basement.

Jack chuckled to himself. Oh he was definitely right about everything.

* * *

Stepping onto the landing of the basement steps, Jack looked down at his son. Gibbs was hunched over the table carving away at the piece of wood before him. He navigated the stairs downward and stopped beside the table and put the new cup of coffee by the younger Gibbs.

Sitting up and stretching his back, Gibbs gave a nod. "Thanks."

"Hungry?" Jack asked. "I made sandwiches."

Gibbs peered at his watch, already after one. "Yeah, I could eat."

"Figured light lunch, so you have an appetite for tonight."

Rolling his eyes, Gibbs sighed. "You're really gonna make me go through with this?"

"Yep." Jack nodded. "You know, if you give it a chance you might actually have fun."

Another eye roll.

"Hell, maybe you'll even get lucky!"

"Dad." Gibbs scoffed. He wasn't sure if he should be concerned that his dad thought he would sleep with a woman on the first date or be worried that his dad was concerned about his dating life.

"Don't act like you've never done it!" Jack balked. "We all have."

"If it's one of the Klein girls, I'll be lucky to get my food down."

"It's not a Klein girl." Jack waved away the comment. "And that's all I'm telling you."

"So at least I'll be able to enjoy my food."

"Yes." Jack started back towards the stairs.

"I'll be up in a minute."

Jack mumbled his response and disappeared out the basement door.

Gazing down at the piece of wood, Gibbs studied the unusual design he had craved. It was completely random just something he had let his mind and hands create while lost in thought. An array of curves and lines intersecting then running parallel to each other, then intersecting and winding around each other only to separate again, but always coming back together. Maybe his dad was right...maybe he did need to enjoy himself and get laid. It had definitely been awhile. He chuckled, if he did get lucky it would have to be at her place, no way he was bringing a woman back here with his dad here. God it was like he was a teenager back in Stillwater trying to figure out where to go and make out so he wouldn't get caught.

* * *

Jack was standing at the bottom of the steps, when his son finally came down from upstairs. "Not bad."

"Glad you approve." Gibbs had decided on dress casual. A steely gray button down dress shirt with basic black slacks and black jacket. No tie and the first few buttons open to reveal the dip in his throat.

"I do." Jack smiled a hint of melancholy in his eyes.

"Yeah I know." Gibbs smirked. "I get my good looks from you."

Jack laughed and patted his son's shoulder. The laughter started to fade and he turned serious. "Try and enjoy yourself, relax, maybe even open up a little bit...even if it is only for tonight."

Gibbs cocked his head slightly. What was it about this blind date that was so important to his dad?

"And don't rush home on my account." Jack paused. "I'm gonna have a little dinner and head to bed early."

"Yeah, right." Gibbs snickered sarcastically, grabbing his keys and heading out the door.

When the door closed and Jack heard the car start, he finally let out a breath he was holding fearful that Jethro would somehow try and back out at the last minute. Now all he could do was hope that Jethro would understand why he had done it and not let his stubbornness stand in the way.

* * *

Walking into the restaurant, he was greeted by a man smiling behind a podium. "Can I help you sir?"

"Reservation for Jackson Gibbs."

The man scanned the paper in front of him, then smiled up at Gibbs. "Of course." He grabbed another menu. "Follow me, your guest has already arrived." Leading him through the restaurant, they made their way towards a table in the back somewhat removed from the rest of the crowded tables. They got closer to the table and Gibbs was able to see the person already sitting there, sitting there facing him.

His body's response was instant and visceral led by his heart. It skipped several beats, then desperate to recover, rapidly started to thump against his sternum. His eyes dilated, jaw squared, pulse raced, palms became clammy, and his core temperature jumped at least three degrees. It shouldn't have been that easy to be moved by the figure before him, but the connotation of what tonight was supposed to be, a date, caused his mind to set his body on alert.

Just before they reached the table, the figure stood, eyes wide a mixture of fear, concern and anxiousness peering out.

"Gibbs what are you doing here?" Tony felt his voice crack as he asked the question, in the back of his mind praying that what was happening wasn't really happening. When no response came, nervousness set it. "You're not, Jack wouldn't, I mean, come on. It's supposed to be a blind date, but-" He paused when he saw the Maitre'ds eyebrow go up and a slight smirk curl at the corner of his lips. "No, come on!"

"Bourbon, neat make it a double." Gibbs said calmly to the Maitre'd.

"Of course." The Maitre'd tried not to laugh. "I'll be right back with that."

"Make it two!" Tony snapped before the man ran off.

Rubbing his forehead, Gibbs took a deep breath.

"I didn't know." Tony wanted to make that perfectly clear. "He just said a blind date, never who or-"

"I get it."

Tony cocked his head and gave Gibbs a questioning stare. "Did you know?"

"Of course not!" Gibbs barked.

"Here we go." The Maitre'd smiled as he excitedly returned with the drinks.

Snatching one out of the Maitre'ds hand, Gibbs downed it in a single gulp.

"Um." The Maitre'ds eyes widened and he glanced at Tony half expecting the other man to do the same. Instead, Tony took the drink and sat it down on the table. The Maitre'd looked back at Gibbs. "Would you like another?"

Gibbs shook his head and tipped his chin towards the front of the restaurant, a nonverbal cue for the Maitre'd to scram.

"Yes, um I will tell the waitress to give you to a moment." The man nodded and scurried away.

"This is-" Tony shook his head. "You're uncomfortable, I'm uncomfortable, I'll go pay for the drinks and we can go." As he went to walk by Gibbs, he felt the hand gently grab his bicep and stopped.

Gibbs felt the muscles under his hand tense, felt the tension extend down Tony's entire body. But it was the panicked look on Tony's face that made him release the younger man's arm and take a half step back. He dropped down into the chair beside him and ran his hand over his mouth. "Have a good night." Gibbs managed to wave down a waitress and hold up his glass. "Bourbon, neat."

She nodded and headed towards the bar.

"I'll take care of the drinks."

A second later the waitress returned placing the glass in front of Gibbs. "Did you want to order?" She spoke to Gibbs then glanced at Tony still standing next to the table.

"Give me a minute." Gibbs forced a smile as she nodded and walked away. Taking a sip of his drink, he accepted the warmth as it spread throughout his body.

"You're gonna stay?" Tony asked still frozen to his spot.

With a shrug, Gibbs nodded. "No plans, might as well eat." He picked up the menu and started to skim over it.

Still, Tony didn't move, just stood there by the table. "I know the chef, the Delmonico steak is amazing."

"You picked this place?"

Tony nodded.

Gibbs chuckled as he closed the menu and tossed it on the table. "Didn't figure my dad actually knew a decent restaurant in the area."

"Actually, I brought him here last year when he was in D.C. for Christmas." Tony glanced at the empty chair, then back at Gibbs.

Hesitantly, the waitress approached the table having seen Gibbs close his menu. "Would you like to order?" Her eyes landed on Gibbs then glanced at Tony.

"I would." Gibbs handed her the menu.

She casually looked over at Tony. "Are you staying sir?"

Steel blue eyes locked with green as Gibbs waited for Tony to answer.

"Yes." Tony said tugging down on his suit jacket. "We'll both have the Delmonico steak, medium rare, potato, butter no sour cream, vegetable and tell Chef Remlie Tony expects nothing but the best."

"Of course." The waitress smiled.

Tony finally sat down as the waitress left. "Hope you don't mind me ordering."

Gibbs shook his head. "You know what I like."

"At least when it comes to food and steak."

The remark was meant as a chide, Gibbs had no doubt. It was another comment that went with the one from last night. "What is it you feel you need to know about me?" Gibbs questioned.

"Nothing." Tony gave an annoyed chuckle. "Not a damn thing." He picked up the neglected drink and took a long sip. "You'd think I'd realize by now, our relationship is what it is and nothing's going to change that. The sooner I accept that, the better off we'll both be."

Inhaling deeply, Gibbs first instinct was to get angry, to give Tony the fight that his senior field agent obviously wanted. The adrenalin rush would take the edge off for both of them, ease the stress that had been building between them since long before last night. Instead he held back, because that's what he always did with Tony. It didn't matter if they were fighting or talking, he always held himself back, at least a little. He'd learned over the years to always hold back with Tony, because if he didn't...that nagging thought that scratched at the back of his mind, that thought he only let himself have when he was alone would demand release. Even now it scratched and clawed its way towards the front of his brain begging for him to surrender, to say everything he wanted to say, to admit everything and accept the consequences whatever they might be.

"Forget it." Tony shrugged it off, disconcerted by Gibbs' delayed attack. The man was always ready with a snappy come back, but suddenly Gibbs seemed deep in thought about how to respond. "It doesn't matter."

"It does matter." It was an involuntary response that Gibbs couldn't contain.

Tony's eyes were drawn to Gibbs by the softness of the words.

"You matter." Gibbs felt his stomach flip flop as the green eyes met his and he finished the sentiment. "To me...more than you know."

It was as if all the air had suddenly been sucked out of the room and Tony couldn't breathe. He never expected to hear that. Dropping his gaze, Tony remembered when he used to feel like he mattered to Gibbs.

"Go ahead." Gibbs knew it was coming. Their relationship had changed and Tony knew that and wanted to know why.

"I remember towards the end of my second year at NCIS and you invited me over for a steak." Tony chuckled sadly as he thought back. "I was so excited and after that night I realized our relationship had changed. I wasn't just some agent and you weren't just my boss, we were friends." He smiled slightly. "You actually talked that night."

All Gibbs could do was nod.

"Now-" Tony paused trying to find the best way to express how he felt. "You're my friend, but you won't let me be yours. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, it does." Gibbs tried to keep his voice calm as he made the admission. "And your right."

_Wow. _Gibbs making two admissions in one night had to be a record_._

"That's my fault."

"Wow!" Again, Tony was shocked.

Gibbs' eyebrow went up.

Tony's eyes went wide when he saw Gibbs' reaction and he realized he'd said that out loud. "I didn't expect-I mean-"

"I can take blame, when it's mine to take." Rocking the glass back and forth, Gibbs watched the Bourbon dance up and down the sides of the glass as he spoke.

"Here we go." The waitress sang happily as she approached the table with the steaming plates of food.

Both men sat back as the plates were placed before them.

"Do we need drinks?"

"Yeah." Gibbs nodded.

"Please." Tony added.

"Be right back with those."

"Saved by the food." Tony grinned wanting to lighten the mood.

Gibbs sighed. "Guess so."

And that's all it took for them to forget about the tension between them. That was their way, the discussion wasn't over, but it could wait. They ate, talking between every few bites, and sipping their drinks until both their plates were empty.

"That was good."

"Told ya." Tony smiled. "Almost as good as yours."

"Almost." Gibbs smirked.

"Anthony, where have you been?" The female voice bellowed as she stalked towards the table.

Tony's smile widened as he rose and greeted the woman with a hug. "Working."

She drew back. "Let me look at you." Surveying his face, she let her eyes skim down his body and back up. "Gorgeous as ever."

"As are you."

That look told Gibbs, the two of them had slept together and she would welcome it happening again. Tony's look said he had ended the relationship, but at least done it with enough tact to stay friends.

"And who is your guest?" She asked turning her smile to Gibbs.

"Sasha Remlie this is Jethro Gibbs." Tony introduced them as Gibbs rose to shake her hand. "My boss at NCIS."

"Pleasure to meet you Jethro." She paused. "May I call you Jethro?"

Gibbs nodded. _Boss that said a lot._

"And please call me Sasha." She sighed and smacked Tony's chest. "Must be terrible putting up with him every day."

"It can be challenging."

"I bet." She grinned back at Tony and winked.

"The food was amazing, as always." Tony complimented her.

"You're biased, but thank you." She kissed his cheek, then turned back to Gibbs. "Did you like it Jethro?"

"Yes."

She cocked her head and chuckled. "A man of few words."

"So I've been told." Gibbs glanced at Tony. "A functioning mute."

"Really?" She laughed.

"I'm sure you need to get back." Tony said touching Sasha's arm.

"I do." She kissed his cheek again. "Good to see you." Smiling at Gibbs. "Jethro, pleasure."

Gibbs nodded as she walked back towards the kitchen, then picked up the check from the table.

"I guess that means it's time to go." There was a disappointment in Tony's voice. _So much for any further conversation. _

"It is."

"Sure." Tony pulled out his wallet and threw a tip on the table. "What's my half?"

"I got it." Gibbs put a few bills with the check and put it back on the plastic check plate. Heading towards the front of the restaurant, he stopped at the coat rack, grabbed his own and Tony's.

"Thanks." Tony slipped his coat on. "And for dinner."

"You're welcome."

"Have a good night." Tony mumbled as he started to walk away. For the second time tonight he felt the hand on his bicep. Although he stopped, it took a moment for him to look back at Gibbs.

"You're buying coffee."

"What?"

"Coffee."

"We're going for coffee?"

Gibbs nodded.

Slowly a smile pulled at the corner of Tony's lips.

"I'll drive." Gibbs already had his keys in his hand.

"I took a cab here anyway."

"Even better." Gibbs mind unwillingly played out the countless scenarios of taking Tony home. He shook his head to banish the thoughts as he ushered Tony forward.

They stepped out into the crisp night air and the wind whistled around them.

"I'm just around the corner." Gibbs tipped his head down the street as he touched Tony's back to move them along. They turned the corner and his truck was parked on the side of the road. Slipping his key in the lock, he opened the passenger side and held it open afraid the wind would whip it shut.

Tony went to climb in, but stopped putting his hand on the door frame next to Gibbs'. He looked at the older man. "You're more than my boss, I didn't mean anything by that." He had seen Gibbs' reaction when he had introduced him to Sasha as "his boss."

Out of the corner of his eye, Gibbs saw the closeness of their hands on the metal and felt his pulse quicken. "I know."

As he went to release the door frame, Tony felt the warm hand over his and he looked up at Gibbs again.

"I wanna be more...I'm trying." Gibbs whispered, his heart forcing the blood through his body at an alarming rate.

"Why is it so hard?" Tony smiled. "It's just me."

_Just you!_ Gibbs' stomach knotted. _That was the root of the problem_. He slid his hand off of Tony's. "Get in."

Once Tony was settled, Gibbs closed the door and took a deep breath as he slowly walked around the back of the truck. _Get a grip!_ He told himself. _The 'more' that Tony wants is friendship, nothing else._


	4. Chapter 4

"Okay this isn't exactly what I thought you meant." Tony looked around the crowded coffee house. He had assumed they would go to the diner since that was Gibbs' favorite. "I don't even see an open table."

Gibbs ignored Tony's comment as he stepped to the counter and was greeted by the smiling girl. "Hi. Large dark roast coffee and large hazelnut latte, extra, extra sugar in it."

"Sure." She tapped the order into the screen and before she could speak the total Gibbs was already extending her a bill.

She handed him back some change, Gibbs dropped a couple bucks in the tip jar.

"I thought I was buying?" Tony watched as Gibbs moved down the counter towards the drink pick up.

Gibbs ignored the comment and opened his phone, tapped a few buttons, then closed it and shoved it back in his pocket.

"Oh, I see one. I'll grab it." Tony was about to take off at a sprint and was grabbed by the back of the jacket. He looked over his shoulder at Gibbs.

"We don't need it."

Tony's brow furrowed and Gibbs let go of his jacket.

"Here we are." The barista pushed the two drinks towards Gibbs.

"Thanks." Gibbs handed one to Tony. "Taste it before we leave."

"Why?" Tony asked.

"Because I don't want you complaining it's not sweet enough."

Taking a quick sip, Tony headed towards the condiments and grabbed a couple packs of sugar and a stir stick. "Ready."

Gibbs shook his head and chuckled. Tony did like his sugar.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?" Tony asked as Gibbs started for the door again.

"No." Gibbs said holding the door open for Tony. "You're gonna have to trust me."

Tony paused as he went to pass Gibbs, locking their gaze. "I trust you, more than anyone. The question is do you trust me?"

Gibbs swallowed the lump in his throat but didn't answer.

* * *

The ride so far had been spent in silence, but when they crossed the Potomac River and made a quick right into a familiar parking lot, Tony spoke. "Jefferson Island?"

"Yeah." Gibbs said as he headed towards the back end of the parking lot to the Park Ranger gate.

In the brightness of the headlights, Tony could see a Park Ranger standing by the gate. "Who's that?"

Gibbs grinned. "Someone that owes me a favor." Pulling up outside the gate, Gibbs stopped the truck and rolled down the window.

The older man leaned an arm onto the open window frame. "Never thought this'd be how you'd ask me to repay that debt." He smirked at Gibbs.

"You're getting off easy Mac." Gibbs grinned back.

"I know and I'll take it." Mac handed Gibbs a key. "Drop it in the box when you leave."

Nodding, Gibbs accepted the key and rolled the window back up.

Mac walked over and pushed open the already unlocked gate waving them into the dense tree lined dirt road.

Giving Mac a quick wave as they entered, Gibbs saw the gate close behind them. Slowly he drove the road until they came to a right turn and he took it. They emerged into a small clearing that brought them to the river's edge. Putting the car in park, he cut off the engine and turned to Tony.

"Not sure about this" Tony chuckled. "If you were anyone else I'd think you'd brought me here to make out."

Gibbs' right eyebrow went up.

"Since it's you I'm wondering if you brought me here to dispose of the body."

Letting out a soft chuckle, Gibbs shook his head. "Neither."

"Okay, then care to share?" Tony had no clue why they were here.

Staring out over the water, Gibbs leaned back in the seat. "I used to come here on my days off, back when I first started at NCIS. Back then there wasn't a dirt road to it, it was just a spot I found when I wandered off the path one day."

"Even then you were looking for a solitary spot to be alone."

"Yeah." Gibbs rubbed his hands down his face. "I wasn't remarried yet and the house seemed haunted and cold without Shannon and Kelly...I stayed away from that house as much as possible."

Tony didn't speak, just listened wanting Gibbs to continue.

"I'd bring a backpack with a blanket, some beer, and just sit here." Gibbs smiled at the memory. "Fell asleep here a lot of days, wouldn't wake up till the sun went down and it got cold." He shook his head. "Now of course this is part of the island is gated off for the rangers' vehicles."

Tony chewed at his lower lip still not sure if he should speak, hoping there was more.

Gibbs turned and looked over at Tony. "I've never even told anyone about this spot." He took a deep breath. "You asked if I trusted you. I do." His blue eyes bore into green. "And not just to have my six. I trust you with everything, I just um-" He rubbed his forehead. "Not good with the sharing, but it has nothing to do with not trusting you."

"Thank you." Tony whispered.

Clearing his throat, Gibbs made a promise without saying the word. "And from now on when you ask or wanna talk, I'll answer and actually talk, with more than one word."

A wide grin played across Tony's face.

Pointing a finger at the younger man, Gibbs glared. "Don't even."

"What?" Tony tried to look innocent.

"I'll answer in an appropriate setting." Gibbs amended.

Tony laughed. "Don't worry. I'll be good."

"I know you will." Gibbs smirked. There was just something about the playful ornery look in Tony's eyes.

Tony turned and leaned back against the door panel. "This is a perfect spot."

"Yeah it is."

"Was Shannon your first?" Tony blurted out.

The question was so out of the blue, Gibbs was perplexed at first.

"You're not going to renege on my first question are you?" Tony raised his eyebrows.

Gibbs snatched his coffee cup from the cup holder and took a long sip, then answered. "No."

Tony grinned and shook his head slowly. "You said you'd answer with more than one word."

Exhaling loudly, Gibbs looked at Tony. "Shannon was not my first."

"Come on." Tony rolled his eyes. "That's all I get?"

"She was the third." Gibbs added. "Is that better?"

"The third for actual sex, I mean-" Tony laughed. "Everyone has a different definition of sex. So was she the third for actual, you know." He made a fist with his left hand and then inserted his finger over and over into it. "Sexual intercourse or the third for like anything."

Gibbs rubbed his forehead, leave it to Tony. "The third for intercourse."

"Right." Tony could just imagine a handsome young Gibbs sneaking off to the barn with a local girl for a hand job or blow job.

Blue eyes fixed on green. "Why are you so interested in what I did in the barn?"

Tony's eyes went wide. Damn it he hated when Gibbs read your mind like that. He still thought that Gibbs had some secret government technology and had implanted mind reading chips in all of them. Sad part was, Gibbs didn't need mind reading chips, he was just that good at reading people. "Because." Tony grabbed his own coffee and took a quick sip. Something about their interaction was making him bold. He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. "It's hard to imagine, the serious, experienced and utterly controlled Jethro Gibbs as a hormone enraged boy sneaking away with some girl to awkwardly fondle each other in the barn."

"Right." Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Because you came out of the womb a skilled ladies' man."

"Of course I did." Another grin.

"Well some of us weren't so lucky."

"You've more than made up for any awkwardness." Tony stared at his cup, playing with the lid. "Both of those women would have come home with you last night."

"Yeah, well. Booze and bad judgment go a long way in a bar."

"That had nothing to do with it." Tony slowly let his eyes drift back up and meet Gibbs'. "They were completely captivated by you."

"Not really my type."

"Too young right?" Tony chuckled.

Gibbs shrugged. "Something like that." It had nothing to do with that, but might as well let Tony think that was the reason.

Tony leaned his head back against the cool glass of the passenger window. "Do you want someone in your life?"

It was an easy answer, but Gibbs hesitated. The thought of lying crossed his mind, but instead he hid behind a metaphor. "I want the person that fits." Another hesitation. "There's this space in my life, a space that's carved out in the shape of the right person. And trying to make someone fit into a space that isn't theirs-" He blew out a long slow breath and shook his head. "Never works, no matter how hard you both try."

"Is that what happened, with the ex's?" Tony asked softly, surprised by Gibbs' candid honesty.

Gibbs nodded, mirroring Tony's position and leaning back against the door panel.

"Do you think you'll find that person?" It was a question Tony asked himself every day.

Rubbing his hand over his mouth, Gibbs already knew the answer to that question. "It's not that simple."

"Why not?"

Gibbs felt himself squeezing the cup in his hand tighter as his pulse quickened. "Finding them isn't always the happy ending you thought it would be."

Tony could tell Gibbs was uncomfortable, but at this point he didn't care, he wanted to know. "How could it not be?"

Gazing past Tony out the passenger door window, Gibbs stared into the darkness outside. "Because that person doesn't necessarily wanna fill that space."

The anguish in the older man's voice was palpable and Tony felt the emotion bombard his senses causing his body to shiver. "You've already met the person." The statement was filled with sadness and remorse. Gibbs was silent and it screamed a sorrowful answer. "Do they know?"

"Doesn't matter." Gibbs sighed as he placed his cup in the cup holder and started the car. "We should get going, it's getting late."

Tony wanted to protest the obvious dismissal, but he knew he'd already pushed. "It is getting late."

They drove away in silence, even when they reached the gate and the truck stopped again, they didn't speak. Gibbs jumped out and nodded at Tony. Returning the gesture, Tony slid over into the driver's seat and wait for Gibbs to open the gate. Some would have said it would have been easier to just let Tony open the gate, but easy wasn't the logic behind it. The logic was Gibbs had been entrusted with the key and it wouldn't leave his possession. Tony drove out, put the truck in park and slid back over.

Gibbs dropped the key into the locked drop box and climbed back into the car. The silence continued as they made their way to the main highway.

Tony had a ton of questions he wanted to ask, things he wanted to say, but he didn't speak. Instead his mind raced through countless possibilities in his head. Who was it that Gibbs thought could fill that void in his life? Dr. Ryan had been the last person Gibbs dated. That seemed unlikely, Gibbs didn't really even trust her. Plus he didn't seem too concerned when she left. Oh maybe that mysterious red head from years ago, no one ever did find out anything about her, not even her name. It definitely wasn't Colonel Mann. It was clear to everyone she was in love with Gibbs and he didn't return the feeling. The debate on Gibbs and M. Allison Hart having a fling was still on going. Some people said definitely, it was obvious and others, like himself said no way, not with a lawyer. No doubt there were numerous others that no one knew about.

Then the next obvious question, why hadn't Gibbs told them or had he had been rejected? From the conversation and the brief answers, it seemed more like Gibbs hadn't told them. Oh God, maybe Jack was right, maybe it was Abby. Oh shit or maybe Ziva. Tony cringed at the thought, either of those options was just wrong on so many levels. Although, Ziva would make sense. She was dating someone now, that could have led to Gibbs melancholy mood about the topic. She wasn't available. He shook his head. No, it wasn't Ziva. She was probably more like a daughter to Gibbs than even Abby.

The truck made a sharp right turn and Tony realized they were just a couple blocks from his apartment. Okay it was now or never he had to say it.

"You should tell her." Part of him didn't want to say it, but it needed to be said. "You should know either way."

Gibbs' grip on the steering wheel tightened.

"Don't you wanna know?" _Wouldn't it be better to know than to wonder all the time?_

Turning into the apartment complex parking lot, Gibbs found an empty spot not far from the door and parked. He climbed out of the truck, walked over to the passenger side and opened the door.

"Are you gonna answer my question?"

"I'll walk you up." Gibbs said still holding the door open.

"Walk me up?" Tony looked baffled.

"Yeah."

Climbing out of the cab, Tony started towards the door of the complex, glancing over his shoulder at one point to see if Gibbs was actually following him. He unlocked the outside door and the two of them stepped inside.

"Need to check the mail." Heading over to the wall lined with rows of mailboxes, Tony stuck a key into his corresponding box and pulled out a large pile of mail. When he turned around, Tony looked confused when Gibbs wasn't there. Then he looked towards the elevator, Gibbs was already there and waiting for the elevator to open. "You know you don't have to walk me up." He grinned as he leaned against the wall next to the elevator. "I'm not drunk, I think I can make it by myself."

The elevator doors parted and Gibbs stepped inside.

Tony's mouth dropped open._ Did Gibbs just get into the elevator first?_ Tony pushed himself off the wall and stood in front of the still open doors. Gibbs was standing towards the back of the elevator, hands in his coat pockets. Tony looked to the right, then the left, and finally back at Gibbs. What the hell was he missing here? Gibbs always entered the elevator last! Suspiciously, Tony stepped into the elevator and faced the door, almost afraid to look at Gibbs. _What the hell was all this about? Gibbs walking him up to his apartment and getting into the elevator first. Was this all part of the new change in their relationship? Or was this just-_ Tony was suddenly startled from his thoughts when he felt the gentle pressure of a hand on the small of his back and the warm presence directly behind him.

"Thank you." The warm breath whisper dangerously close to Tony's ear, close but not touching.

"For what?" Tony sighed.

"Your company." Another rush of air caressed Tony's earlobe. "And your concern."

"You're my friend." Tony hummed as the pressure of the hand on his back turned to a light brush of fingertips. "I care about you."

A sigh. "I know." Gibbs inhaled deeply and his eyes closed as the overwhelming scent of almonds and spice filled every fiber of his being. "And I don't wanna know." He said answering Tony's earlier question.

"Why?" There was a long pause and again the fingers caressed the spot on Tony's back.

"Because if I don't know-" Gibbs slowly let his eyes open. "There's hope."

The elevator doors opened and Tony felt the hand press against the small of his back easing him forward. Then the touch was completely gone. Tony spun around, mouth open to speak, only to see the elevator doors close and descend, taking Gibbs with it.

Letting his shoulders fall, Tony closed his mouth and headed down the hall towards his door. He unlocked the door and stepped inside kicking it shut behind him then falling against it. The pile of mail fell from his hand and cascaded to the floor. If it hadn't been for the support of the door, he would have joined it.

* * *

Walking into the house, Gibbs slammed the door closed behind him, threw his coat on the banister and stormed into the living room switching on the light.

Jack stirred on the couch, looking half asleep.

"Don't even try it." Gibbs snapped, the drive home having given his anger time to grow. "I saw the light go out before I pulled in."

"Damn new truck doesn't make any noise." Jack grumbled as he sat up. He held up a hand. "Now before you go off halfcocked on me-"

"Halfcocked?" Gibbs growled. "Both barrels are what you deserve."

"So you're gonna deny it?" Jack barked back.

Gibbs' eyes narrowed.

"Maybe you're still denying it to yourself." Shaking his head, Jack sighed. "I honestly don't care Jethro, men, women, both, whatever the hell floats your boat."

"Jesus dad!"

"Come on." Jack rolled his eyes, just as his son had earlier. "Do you think I don't know? You're my son, I know."

_This was not happening._ Was all Gibbs could think.

"I told Tony the story about you trying to ride that motorcycle when you were fourteen." Jack saw his son's body tense. "Tony said you were trying to impress a girl, but the only girl there was Alisha Kisdale and you'd made it clear over the years you didn't like her."

Gibbs could see the moment as clear as day.

"You took off on that bike like a bat outta hell, but you only stole a glance at one person before you tore out of there."

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Gibbs stared at his father. He didn't realize his father had seen the whole thing, but then they were stupid enough to do it out back of the store.

"And Sam was the first one at your side when you wiped out that bike."

Sam Walker. The name could still make Gibbs' stomach flutter. Sam was beautiful, a boy just starting to go through puberty. His voice had cracked giving him a rich low tenor voice, he had finally had a little bit of a growth spurt so his long arms and legs didn't seem so gangly. He had this thin frame, but strong arms and the longest fingers Gibbs had ever seen. What was most beautiful about him was his face. This beautiful baby face, with gorgeous dark mossy green eyes that always seemed deep in contemplation, round cheeks and lips that were a soft pale pink. Sandy blond hair, that like all the boys, was kept cropped short. He had been drawn to Sam immediately, although he originally told himself it was about friendship, he realized all too quickly it was more and that Sam wanted it to be even more.

"Yeah, that Sam." Jack couldn't help but smirk at the faraway look on his son's face.

Shaking his head, Gibbs let the vision fade away. Taking a deep breath, he dropped down into the chair by the couch, the anger having disappeared. "A glance and you assumed something was going on between us?"

"No." Jack grinned. "I assumed something was going on between you when the two of you walked out of the barn and you were zipping up your pants."

Gibbs ran his hands down his face mumbling _shit_ under his breath. He remembered it like it happened yesterday. The tension between him and Sam had been building for weeks. Glances, hands brushing against each other, their bodies rubbing against each other, but nothing more, until that day. Most of the other kids had been shipped off to some church bible outing, and for some reason Sam felt safe in the absence of everyone. Sam took his hand and pulled him into the barn. They stood there in an awkward silence for a while until Sam spoke. _Kiss me. _

It was as if Gibbs had just been waiting to hear those words. He shoved Sam against the wall and did exactly as the other boy asked. It was raw and full of youthful vigor, sloppy and inexperienced, but it didn't matter. Neither of them had kissed another boy before and that only made it all the more exciting. They were both hard instantly and he figured they would both end up coming in their pants. Then the next thing he knew Sam had pushed him against the wall, dropped to his knees and was unzipping Gibbs pants. Before he could even think about what was happening his cock was engulfed by Sam's warm mouth. It didn't take long and being the selfish teenage boy he was, he didn't even think about returning the favor.

"I didn't care then and I don't care."

"I didn't think you would." Gibbs sighed, the statement quickly pulling him from the thought.

"So Sam and Nathan were just teenage experimentation?"

"Nathan!" Gibbs groaned. _How the hell did his father know about that__?_ "Nathan and I never did anything in the barn how in the hell could you know something happened between us?" They were always careful and discrete.

Jack chuckled. "When a sixteen year old boy chooses to spend a Saturday night with a guy from his baseball team rather than the countless girls that are after him...something's going on."

Taking a deep breath, Gibbs' head fell back onto the back of the chair. Kinda hard to miss that one. He had spent way too many weekends with Nathan.

"You look at Tony the same way you looked at Sam...and Shannon." Jack paused. "You've just gotten better at hiding the look." He shook his head. "But when you can just look at him, knowing there's no chance he can see you. It's there."

Gibbs picked his head up and looked over at his father. "And what is there?"

"Desire, want, need...love and that hint of regret." Jack had caught his son several times staring at Tony when he thought no one was watching.

Squaring his jaw, Gibbs suddenly feared the worse. If his father had seen it, had someone else? He was always so careful with his feelings for Tony, compartmentalizing them, Agent, friend, and the more that he knew couldn't be.

"He cares about you, he wants more."

Gibbs chuckled sadly. "No." He leaned forward, elbows on his knees as he stared at the coffee table. "He wants more of a friendship. A friendship where I actually share more, that's all."

"Is that what he told you?"

"Yeah." Gibbs nodded. "And I'll try."

"How's that gonna work for you?" Jack already knew the answer to that question.

"I'll make it work." Gibbs let out a slow breath. "Somehow."

Jack leaned. "And how'd tonight go?"

"Not good."

Glancing at his watch, Jack scowled. "It's after two am, couldn't have been that bad."

"I let-" Gibbs was suddenly on his feet pacing in front of the coffee table. "I shouldn't have gotten so close, but I-" The scent of Tony still lingered within him, his fingers still remembered the curve of Tony's back.

Jack looked closely at his son.

Shaking his head, Gibbs continued to pace. "I just left."

"So you have no idea what Tony really thinks."

Stopping, Gibbs glared over at his father. "This is Tony we're talking about. You know as well as I do, being with another man has never crossed his mind."

"I'm sure he thinks the same about you." Jack's eyebrow went up. "And he'd be wrong."

Gibbs cocked his head. "Is there something you're not telling me?" Tony and his dad were close. Had Tony said something to his dad?

"If you mean did Tony tell me he liked men," Jack shook his head. "He didn't tell me that."

"Then why do this?" Gibbs sighed. "Especially if you knew how I felt about him, why put me through that?"

Jack got off the couch and walked over to his son. He stood there a moment staring at the same blue eyes, then reached around and head slapped him.

Gibbs' eyes went wide, then narrowed into an angry glare.

"Because if you keep pushing Tony away, putting more distance between you, you're going to lose even his friendship." Jack saw the anger disappear from his son's eyes and it was quickly replaced with an emotion the younger Gibbs rarely showed, fear. "So you need to either tell him how you feel or learn to deal with being his friend on a deeper level."

"I won't tell him."

"Fine." Jack shrugged. "Be unhappy and alone the rest of your life." He walked back to the couch, grabbed the blanket and laid back down rolling onto his side facing the back of the couch. He heard his son open the fridge and grab a beer. Waiting until he heard the twist of the cap and knew Gibbs took a drink he spoke again. "But if you think Tony only wants to be your friend, you need new glasses...and a new gaydar. Even I can tell there's something more there."

Almost choking on the beer, Gibbs tried to swallow the mouthful of liquid then coughed trying to clear his throat.


	5. Chapter 5

The next chapter is here :) Thank you again for all the reviews and PM's. I can't tell you how much it means to me.

Srienia my amazing beta reader. You are awesome, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Eight thousand nine hundred and forty seven, that was where he finally stopped counting and got up. Now he was sitting on the couch in his flannel pajama bottoms, blanket wrapped around him, staring at the TV, but not even paying attention. He was still trying to piece together exactly what had happened tonight. First thing was why did Jack set up two supposedly straight men up on a blind date? It had to be because of the conversation they had the other night. The conversation about him wanting a deeper relationship with Gibbs. Jack probably figured forcing them into spending time together might get them talking. Tony chuckled. It worked actually. Gibbs shared and opened up. He groaned. And what had he asked about sex. Jesus maybe he really did have a weird preoccupation with sex. He had been sitting in a secluded spot, with the man he had wanted to know more about since the first time they'd ever met and he asks about sex. Of course now all the questions he should have asked were racing through his mind, none of which did him any good now.

Tony's brow furrowed. Still why not just say I want you to meet someone, why call it a date? Did Jack know something? Was Gibbs...The thought entered his mind and Tony broke out laughing. Yeah, Gibbs being interested in guys. Like that would ever happen! Plus Gibbs had pretty much admitted he had met the woman he wanted to be with, probably even loved. Gibbs just didn't want to tell her, because by not telling her at least he had hope she might want him. It seemed that Gibbs assumed he was going to be rejected. Well if the women knew Gibbs' past, she might be a little skeptical. Three failed marriages isn't exactly a glowing letter of recommendation. Not to mention if she knew anything about his job, she knew he was a workaholic. Although, he truly believed that if Gibbs had someone he cared about and loved in his life, the man wouldn't stay at work every night. And come on, it was Gibbs! The man was loyal, trustworthy, honest, brave, generous, and countless other adjectives. Exhaling deeply, Tony pulled the blanket tighter around his shoulders. Okay then there was the obvious...Gibbs was a good looking man, maybe even hot, sexy even. He'd realized that a very long time ago, he just didn't like to think about it. Looking over towards the door, the mail he had let fall to the floor when he came in was still lying there. Groaning, Tony flopped down onto his back on the couch. Okay, Gibbs was an extremely sexy man and that's why the mail was still lying on the floor.

"Damn it!" Tony moaned trying unsuccessfully to remove the image of a very sexy Gibbs sitting in the truck leaning back against the car door earlier tonight. "Stop, stop, stop." He said slamming his palms into his forehead as the blanket fell open and he shivered. Although, he wasn't sure if it was from the cold air that suddenly hit his bare chest or the image still haunting his thoughts. Taking a couple slow deep breaths, he shook his head vigorously, then grabbed his head with both hands when the room started to spin around him. _That was not a good idea!_ Slowly the room came back into focus and he blew out a long breath. He wouldn't have been thinking about any of this if Gibbs hadn't been in his personal space, touching his back, whispering close to his ear. What the hell was that anyway?

Tony had seen Gibbs throw off hundreds of suspects in interrogation with similar tactics, but never experienced anything like it personally. Then there was Gibbs walking him up. That never happened unless he was drunk and Gibbs wanted to make sure he made it into his apartment safely. The whispered explanation of why Gibbs didn't want to know how this mystery woman felt about him. Gibbs was normally all about eye contact, he could stare down a serial killer and not blink. There was something about Gibbs' feelings for this woman that Gibbs was trying to hide. That had to be why Gibbs couldn't look him in the face, eye to eye. There was definitely more to this situation and this woman. Maybe the woman was married, really young, maybe it was someone they knew and didn't like, or someone from Gibbs' past in Stillwater.

Running his hands down his face, Tony sighed. It didn't matter who it was because he already hated her. He hated her for the simple fact of what Gibbs felt for her. It was stupid, he knew that, but then jealousy is never rational. Jealousy over a man that had gotten him a job, been his boss, his mentor, become his friend, then drifted from friend back to mentor and boss, and now was trying to become his friend again. The problem was that somewhere during all that, Tony had started thinking things he never... that he would never think about another man. He would find himself staring at Gibbs' lips and wondering what it would feel like to kiss them, or how it would feel to be wrapped in Gibbs' strong arms, or to have Gibbs' hands caress up his chest, or Gibbs' lips kiss and sucking his neck.

"Shit!" Sitting up, Tony glared down at his cock that suddenly twitched. "I don't need your opinion right now." Jumping up, he stormed into the kitchen and yanked open the fridge door. Ketchup and a lonely beer. _Great._ He slammed the door shut and fell back against it. This was ridiculous. He had told himself over the years that the odd sexual thought now and then about Gibbs was just his overly active sexual libido, nothing more. He was straight, not a single random experience with another man, not a kiss, a teenage grope or a college blow job, nothing. If he was gay he'd know it. He grew up in male boarding schools, then a fraternity, and all the locker rooms for sports. Not once did a sexual thought about his teenage boarding school room mates, frat brothers or team members ever cross his mind...but when Gibbs gives him that glare, gets in his face, all he can think about is Gibbs grabbing him and devouring his lips. Even the head slaps were starting to make his body tingle in all the wrong places.

He banged his head against the fridge door. All these thoughts suddenly made it seem like wanting a closer friendship with Gibbs was because he had ulterior motives. He really didn't, at least he didn't think so. He just wanted a friendship that involved more than him talking for hours and Gibbs grunting now and then. Like last night, on a regular bases, with both of them feeling comfortable and at ease with each other. The random sexual thoughts, he'd buried those deep inside years ago and they rarely saw the light of day. It had been months since the stray thought of Gibbs had played across his mind, that was until today. Maybe this idea of having a closer friendship was a bad one. What if having a deeper friendship made him do something stupid?

His shoulders started to shake, then his whole body, finally he was clutching at his stomach as he laughed. He could see it now. One day they would be in the basement talking and he'd just lose control, grab Gibbs and plant one on him. Oh God, the look on Gibbs' face would be priceless! He wondered how exactly Gibbs would handle something like that. The man was in no way bigoted, but when it's the guy that is supposed to have your six staring at your ass Gibbs might see that as a problem. Funny, he realized he'd never stared at Gibbs' ass. The thought perplexed him and he stopped laughing. Why had he never stared at Gibbs' ass? He'd definitely stared at Gibbs' crotch. It was innocent really, just sizing up the other alpha male. The man was definitely well endowed, it was hard to miss. Especially when Gibbs sat down and unbuttoned his coat.

"OH MY GOD!" Tony double palm slapped his face. The reason he hadn't been staring at Gibbs' ass was because he was more interested in Gibbs' cock! Why was he more interested in Gibbs' cock? Oh God he wanted to bottom! His body slowly slumped down the fridge door until his butt hit the floor and he pulled his knees up. Putting his elbows on his knees, he put his head in his hands.

Although the thoughts had started years ago, they'd never turned into full-fledged pornographic sexual fantasies. He would always just shake the thoughts away, never letting himself give any consideration to them. Now the common theme of all those thoughts hit him square in the chest. All of them revolved around one thing...Gibbs taking the lead, taking exactly what _he_ wanted.

"Just fucking great." Tony grumbled thumping his head back against the fridge door again. It wasn't bad enough he jumped at every command Gibbs gave him at work, but now he wanted to do the same in bed...on the couch...the floor...against the wall."NO, NO, NO, NO!" He shouted shaking his head. This was not going to turn into some full-fledged sexual fantasy. The thoughts had always stayed PG, kissing, touching, making out, never sex, because- He couldn't even finish the thought. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes. Because if the thoughts were about sex, it was real and it meant he wanted another man. And not just any man, but Gibbs. Married four times, divorced three, Marine, functional mute, workaholic, honest, loyal, sexy, kissable, steely blue eyed Gibbs. The man that had just admitted he'd already found the woman that fit, but just couldn't face her rejection. So if he admitted how he felt where did that leave him? Tony sighed softly. It left him in the same position Gibbs' three ex's had found themselves in, trying to fit into Gibbs' life in a space that he could never fill because it wasn't his to fill.

* * *

Wood. It was normally his salvation during times like these, a way to keep his hands and mind busy as he contemplated a situation or a way to completely forget something and focus on the wood itself. Neither was working tonight, well this morning. After the talk with his father, he'd descended to the basement, his sanctuary, but tonight it refused to offer solace of any kind. Instead, it seemed haunted by the ghosts of all his past failures; marriages, relationships, one night stands, wrong decisions in general seemed to plague him, bearing down on him like shovels full of dirt on his coffin. It didn't scare him anymore, he'd felt the crushing weight of being buried alive far too many times for it to scare him any longer, now it was just an annoying weight on him physically and mentally. He'd been trained how to deal with that feeling, it was dealing with the cause that no one had ever trained him for. Even now after losing Shannon and Kelly, three failed marriages, countless relationships and a few one night stands, making sense of love still confused, bewildered and flabbergasted him. Want, desire, need, those he understood, that was the easy part, it was love...that deeper emotion that he still had problems with.

He had read somewhere that the difference between like and love is repetition. To love something or someone is to return to it, daily, over and over and over again, because nothing completes you, consumes you, satisfies you like that one person you love. It's like an irrational fear that if you go one day without that person, one day without seeing their face, touching them, hearing their voice or their laughter, that your world will crumble around you. He'd felt like that about Shannon and Kelly. Every day he was away from them and didn't hear their voices were maddening, heart-breaking. Then when he was lucky enough to be able to call home or received a cassette tape Shannon had made for him, it was like everything was right with the world again.

The three ex-wives. He could have cared less about spending time with them or hearing them ramble. The sad thing about it was he knew he wasn't in love with any of them from the beginning. Sure, he liked them all, at least in the beginning, but it wasn't love. It was exactly what he had told Tony last night. It was him trying to fit someone into the spot that Shannon had held and it never worked. After his divorce from Stephanie and a few short-lived relationships, he realized it wasn't about replacing or filling that space Shannon and Kelly had left, but about finding someone that could fill the void of love he'd lost. The person that could be his best friend and lover, the person that could actually make him want to sleep in the bed again, the person he wanted to go to bed with and wake up with every day, the person that caused his mind and body to have an instant visceral reaction and the person he could see himself spending every day with for the rest of his life.

He'd met that person over a decade ago, but didn't realize it till years later, after they'd become friends. There's a fine line between friendship and wanting more, a line Gibbs' heart had crossed without his consent. When his mind finally started to comprehend what was happening, he pulled back, distancing himself from the friendship. He had to, it was the only way to keep his feelings in check. For years it had worked, sort of. The feelings were still there, just well hidden, or at least he thought they were until tonight.

Dropping his head back, Gibbs blew out a long slow breath. He'd thought after all these years he'd learned to hide his true feelings for Tony, even the looks, evidently he hadn't. Now he was wondering if anyone else had noticed anything. Had he looked at Tony too long, stood too close, showed some visual clue to his true feelings? _Great. _ It wasn't bad enough he was worried about dealing with letting Tony get close again, but he'd be worried about his everyday interactions with the younger man. _This was a bad idea, all of it._

He made his way over to the work bench and picked up the half empty bottle of Bourbon. Staring at the bottle for a moment, he shook his head and sat it back down. That wasn't going to help. He leaned back against the work bench then slowly slid down until he was sitting on the floor. Pulling up his knees, he rubbed his forehead. His dad was wrong, there was no way Tony wanted more from him. The man was a walking advertisement for single heterosexual men everywhere. Tony's libido and inability to control it had been a point of contention between them for years. It had nothing to do with his feelings for Tony, it was about how easily Tony could be distracted and lose focus when a beautiful woman walked by them. He sighed. Okay, EJ had been a little bit about his feelings for Tony. Still, that was a perfect example. It had taken all of what, a week, for Tony to forget about rule twelve, sleep with EJ and then constantly be distracted by her. It lasted a little longer than he expected it to, but eventually it ended, and life went on as if it had never happened. Tony went back to dating a new woman every few weeks and Gibbs forgot about Tony breaking rule twelve. He didn't have a lot of room to talk. Most people thought rule twelve came after his relationship with Jenny, but the truth was he'd broken rule twelve with Jenny.

"And look what happened with her." He chortled. You'd think he'd learn from his mistakes and follow his own damn rules. Nope, instead he'd let himself start having feelings for Tony. Tonight, standing there, touching Tony's back...it had taken every ounce of his control not to let his arm snake around Tony's waist, let his hand caress over the younger man's stomach and draw their bodies today. His lips had wanted desperately to feast from Tony's neck, to feel the pulse quicken under his kiss.

"No." He shook his head. That was never gonna happen. If there was even an inkling that Tony was open to being with another man, he would have sensed it, seen something. Nothing had ever given him that indication. Sure there was the way Tony teased McGee about being gay, but that was just the normal big brother picking on the little brother. Not that Tony would have cared if McGee really was gay, Tony accepted everyone. McGee had even said men had come on to Tony and the Italian had nicely said he wasn't interested. Plus Tony's discomfort once Gibbs showed up last night was a clear sign, a date with a man had never crossed his mind. Tony stayed because of their friendship, that's the only reason.

"I know you don't see it, but it's there."

Gibbs' eyes followed the voice and watched as his father descended the stairs. It must be later than he thought.

Jack pushed the chair from the table over by his son and sat down. "You're too close, too biased by your past with Tony and what you know of him."

Gibbs rubbed his chin. "What do you see?" He asked, wanting to understand, to know what he was missing, praying his father was right.

"What's Tony's favorite food?" Jack asked.

"What?" Gibbs balked.

"What's Tony's favorite food?" Jack repeated.

"Main course or sweet?"

Jack smirked. "Either, both."

"Pizza if you order, steak here, and jelly donuts."

"Favorite beer?"

"Dominion, but what-"

Jack shook his head and held up his hand. "When did he lose his virginity?"

Gibbs chuckled. "Seriously?"

"You know don't you?" Jack grinned.

Letting out an annoyed sight, Gibbs answered. "Sixteen, although he lies and tells everyone it was thirteen."

"First love of his life?"

"Wendy, his ex fiancé." Gibbs rolled his eyes. "What does this have to do with anything?"

"Who's his best friend?"

Gibbs shook his head. "I don't know."

"Who's first on his speed dial."

Again, Gibbs shook his head and shrugged. "Probably some woman, what's your point."

"That you know all these things about Tony, but you don't know that he thinks of you as his best friend and you're the first number on his speed dial."

Gibbs stared at his father. How could he not know that?

"Because you're too damn worried about hiding how you really feel to notice the obvious." Jack stared back at his son. "Tony knows your moods, your habits, because he watches, listens, studies you. If it's something he can see, that you let him see, or something he hears, he knows it, because he wants to know_ you_."

Gibbs' gaze faltered and he was suddenly staring at the concrete floor. "Wanting to know me doesn't mean it's more than friendship."

"Maybe not." Jack stood up. "But how many grown men carry a picture of their boss in their wallet?"

Wide blue eyes shot up and met Jack's. He nodded. "I saw it the other night."

Clearing his throat, Gibbs asked. "What picture?"

Jack shook his head. "It's just a picture of you, you're in a green Carhartt jacket. Looks like you're outside."

That didn't really tell Gibbs a lot.

"Coffee should be ready." Jack took a few steps towards the stairs, then glanced back at his son. "You coming up?"

Gibbs nodded. "In a minute."

Making his way up the stairs, Jack stole a quick look at his son before disappearing.

Why the hell did Tony have a picture of him? Gibbs snickered. It was probably someone else, his dad's sight wasn't exactly the best now a days. And it wasn't like he was the only person that wore a Carhartt jacket, could be anyone. He rubbed his hands over his face as he thought about last night, the elevator. He had never let himself get so close, to touch Tony in a way that he saw as intimate. Not that he would have wanted the intimate touch, yet Tony hadn't pulled away, never even acted as if it bothered him. It was a completely different reaction than when he had grabbed Tony's arm at the restaurant and the younger man's entire body tensed. In the elevator, there was a sigh of acceptance, but what exactly did that acceptance mean?

He groaned, regretting not drinking the Bourbon earlier. He glanced at his watch. Almost six. Standing up he headed towards the stairs. Coffee would have to do for now. Tonight he'd have a few drinks and drift into a much needed sleep. Then tomorrow he'd try to forget all this and pray that Tony would too.


	6. Chapter 6

Jack put the last dish in the cupboard and headed into the living room, he stopped in the middle of the room when he heard the front door open and close. His blue eyes met green. "You come to give me hell about last night too?" Jack asked.

Tony shook his head.

"Good." Jack walked over and dropped down on the couch. "Because if I knew it was going to be this much of a cluster fuck I never would have done it."

Tony's eyebrows went up. Even though cluster fuck was a common word, one that started in the military, it was still weird hearing it from Jack.

Jack rolled his eyes and shook his head at Tony's surprise.

"Gibbs was upset?"

It was Jack's turn to look at Tony, eyebrows raised in surprise. "Yeah, a little."

Tony just nodded. He figured Gibbs would go off on his dad.

Jack cocked his head. "Since you're not talking, I assume you came to talk to him." He tipped his head towards the kitchen. "You know where he is."

Going to take a step, Tony paused. "Why did you do it?"

"Because he wouldn't have gone if I told the truth."

Tony's brow furrowed. "And I would have?"

Jack leaned forward. "If I had told you Jethro wanted to sit down, have dinner and talk...you'd have gone." He watched the young man's Adam's apple bob up and down. "But then you'd have discussed it with him before hand and I couldn't have that."

"Because he wouldn't have wanted to go?" Tony felt his heart sink.

Jack saw the hurt in Tony's eyes. "No, he would have wanted to go, he just wouldn't have gone."

"Why is it so hard for him with me?" Tony sighed. "I see him with Abby, Ziva, Ducky, hell even McGee has a better relationship with Gibbs than me these days."

"It's you." Jack saw Tony look at him eyes questioning. "You're different."

"Is that good or bad?" Tony's voice cracked.

Jack shrugged. "That depends on you and what you want."

"He knows what I want."

"Good. Then that's what you'll get." Jack's blue eyes locked on Tony's green. "And that's all you'll get."

"Good." Tony's voice was barely audible.

"Well." Jack sighed. "At least one of you will be getting what you want." He pointed at the fridge. "Might wanna take him a beer, he's gonna need it."

Tony stared at Jack a minute, then shook a finger at him and chuckled. "You almost had me there. I thought you were implying that Gibbs-" Jack's eyebrow went up and Tony paused. His hand slowly fell back to his side as the laughter faded. No. It couldn't be.

"Don't forget the beer." Jack said as he picked up the TV remote and turned it on.

_Jack was wrong_. Tony chuckled and shook his head as he went to the fridge and grabbed a beer. He paused at the doorway to the basement. Why was he so nervous? His palms were sweaty, his heart was racing, he felt sick to his stomach. "Stop!" He mumbled to himself as he took a deep breath and stepped through the door.

* * *

Gibbs didn't even look up from the carving when he heard the creaking of the steps. He knew his father well enough to know the older man was bringing him another beer. It was when the familiar scent of almond and spice reached his nose and he instinctively inhaled deeply, that it suddenly registered. His head shot up, his eyes found the green eyes of the man standing next to him.

"Your dad said you would probably need another one." Tony held the beer bottle out to Gibbs.

"Yeah." Gibbs cleared his suddenly dry throat. "Thanks." He quickly grabbed the bottle from Tony, making sure their hands never touched.

"Welcome." Tony casually strolled away towards the work bench, for some reason feeling the need to put distance between them.

"Didn't expect to see you today." Opening the beer and taking a quick swig, Gibbs watched as Tony picked up a random tool, looked at it, turned it around a few times then put it down and picked up another. It was a nervous habit Tony had developed whenever he came here to talk about something serious.

Spinning around quickly, Tony leaned back against the work bench. "I thought I could make you dinner tomorrow after work, my place maybe pasta, pizza, chicken fettuccine or even order out." He chuckled nervously then rambled on. "Although the point was to actually cook you something, so definitely not ordering out and I'm going to stop now." Mentally, Tony head slapped himself. _What the hell was that?_

"Your apartment?" Gibbs was taken aback by the offer. Not only because Tony rarely kept more than ketchup and beer in the fridge, but because the few times he'd been to Tony's place was to drop Tony off after a night of one too many or to pick something up when the heater went out.

Again, Tony chuckled nervously. "I know, I hardly ever eat there, but I can cook."

"I know." Gibbs stared at the man before him. _Why did Tony seem so nervous?_

"Right. I have cooked for you, when I stayed here." Tony gave a half smile. "It was just a thought, you don't have to, I mean you'll probably work late, especially if we get a case. We both might have to work late if we get a case. So this could be a completely pointless conversation because-"

"Dinner sounds good." Gibbs interrupted.

"Good." Tony smiled and nodded.

Gibbs felt his stomach knot. _Why was he putting himself through this?_ He had a perfect excuse to decline, his father was here.

_Jack._ Tony suddenly remembered. "And Jack, bring him too." _Damn that was so not what he wanted._

"Okay." Gibbs nodded. "I'll let him know."

"Good." Tony spun the tool in his hand as he continued. "Weird that you walked me up to my floor and just left." He paused. "Not like you."

"Yeah." Gibbs shook his head. _He shouldn't have done that, he knew it would raise questions with Tony._

"I thought you were going to come in." Tony glanced at the floor then back at Gibbs. "I wanted you to."

Drawing his head back, Gibbs' brow furrowed.

Seeing the surprised expression on Gibbs' face, Tony turned away staring down at the tools on the work bench. He tossed the tool he had down, fingered through the array of countless tools before him then picked up another. _Forget it. _He told himself. The less than subtle hints that Jack had implied, were wrong, so very wrong.

Tony closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Maybe you shouldn't have pushed me out of the elevator and disappeared." He twirled a screw driver in his hand.

"I didn't push you."

Tony jumped and dropped the screw driver as the words whispered across his ear. He grabbed the edge of the work bench with both hands as the presence of the man behind him made him shiver.

"I gently guided you out." Gibbs whispered as his hand touched the small of Tony's back sending another shiver through the younger man.

Biting his lower lip, Tony leaned back against the touch.

"What where you going to say last night?" Gibbs had seen Tony's mouth open to speak before the doors of the elevator completely closed.

"I don't remember."

"Yes you do."

Tony shrugged. "I was just going to invite you in for a beer."

"Just a beer." Gibbs' lips brushed against the younger man's earlobe and he felt the suppressed moan. "Or was there something more?" He needed something, anything, a minor confession that this...this nervous energy between them was something more. He had to know that if he stepped across that line that Tony would be there ready to drag him across it.

"I can't do this." Tony whispered.

"Do what?"

"Tell you-" Tony couldn't breathe as the fear formed a lump in his throat. "How I feel, what I want."

"What do you want?" The words caressed Tony's ear again. "Tell me."

"You" The confession came out a soft barely audible word.

That was all it took, Gibbs crossed the line. His arm slipped around Tony's waist, his hand sprawling across the younger man's stomach as he pressed their bodies together and placed a kiss just below Tony's ear.

Tipping his head to the side, Tony exposed more of his neck, offering it to Gibbs.

Gibbs' eyes dilated as an animalistic growl tore from his throat at having been offered what he'd desired for years. That single submission dragged Gibbs completely over the line. His lips gently rained kisses down on the unmarred flesh, then licked, tasting the scent that haunted him. The kisses and licks turned to playful nips and he groaned as he felt the pulse under his lips quicken.

Tony reached back, clutching at the back of Gibbs' head, forcing the older man deeper against his neck demanding more. "God, yes!" He hissed as he felt the sting of Gibbs' teeth sink deeper into his flesh. The hand on his stomach clawed into him as if trying to get inside.

Both arms now wrapped around Tony, Gibbs crushed the man against him, wanting every inch of their bodies touching. He moaned with unmet need against Tony's neck as fingertips dug into his right hip helping to keep their bodies bound together.

Unknowingly, Tony had started to thrust his hips back, grinding his ass into Gibbs' groin. "Oh fuck!" Tony gasped as he felt Gibbs' cock harden against him.

It was at that moment, Gibbs was snapped from the lust filled haze and ripped his mouth from Tony's neck. Groaning in desperation, he grabbed Tony by the hips trying to stop the other man's movements.

"Tony stop, please."

Taking a deep breath, Tony's eyes shot open. "I didn't-I shouldn't-" Frightened by Gibbs' sudden need to stop, he jerked free of Gibbs' grasp and spun around. "I need to-" He put both hands on Gibbs' chest and pushed hard trying to move the imposing figure before him.

"No." Gibbs growled, grabbing both of Tony's wrists and holding them against his chest. "You don't get to do that."

Tony froze, his body tense.

"You don't get to run away." Gibbs said through jagged breath. "Not after that."

Tony clenched his jaw and gritted his teeth. "You stopped because of her?" That was the only explanation. Gibbs didn't want to make another mistake.

"Jesus, Tony." Gibbs balked. "There is no her. You assumed that and I let you."

The air rushed from Tony's lungs as the realization of those words struck him. Gibbs had been talking about him the whole time last night.

"There is no one else." Gibbs released Tony's hands and they stayed on his chest.

"Then why did you stop?"

Gibbs leaned closer, his lips brushing against Tony's cheek on the way to the younger man's ear. "My father's upstairs."

Silence, then Tony broke out laughing as his forehead landed on Gibbs' shoulder. "Oh God, I totally forgot."

"Yeah." Gibbs smirked. "So did I, at first."

Still laughing, Tony looked up at Gibbs."When's the last time you had to worry about your father catching you making out?"

"A very, very long time." Wrapping his arm around Tony, Gibbs let their bodies just barely touch.

Tony stared into the blue eyes that were still dilated with lust and that's when he saw it. It had always been there, he was sure, but he just never realized it. The emotion, that four letter word that he now knew Gibbs felt for him, but that he couldn't even bring himself to form in his mind. How long had Gibbs felt that way about him? Weeks, months, years probably. His hand touched Gibbs' cheek and a second later he felt the lips press against his palm. "So I guess this means you're not going to kiss me?" He grinned, unable to face the full ramifications of what he now understood.

Gibbs shook his head, tugging Tony closer.

Tony dropped his head back and groaned. "You're killing me." He raised his head and sighed. "You know that right?"

Brushing his lips against Tony's cheek, Gibbs kissed his way down Tony's jaw line, then paused their lips so close he could feel Tony's warm breath seeping into him. "It will be worth the wait." Gibbs took a deep breath, then let it out. "I promise." He placed a quick kiss on Tony's forehead and stepped back.

Eyes closed, Tony shook his head. "I hate you right now." Opening his eyes, he glared at Gibbs and saw that cocky half smirk on the older man's face. "And that cocky ass smirk only makes me want to smack you, hard."

Gibbs' left eyebrow went up and the smirk widened.

"Really?" Tony wiggled his eyebrows. "You like the rough stuff?"

"Guess you'll have to wait and find out."

Stalking towards Gibbs, Tony didn't stop until he once again was in Gibbs' personal space. His fingers danced up Gibbs' chest. "I could kiss you right now and find out what happens."

"You could, but you won't."

"And why won't I?" Tony asked.

Seizing the hand on his chest, Gibbs' eyes narrowed as he stared into the green eyes already fixed on his. "Because that's not what you want." He stole a quick glance at Tony's lips. "You want me to kiss you, to _take _that first kiss from you, to show you what it's like to kiss the way you should be kissed, every day, for the rest of your life."

Tony felt his knees wobble, felt the blood rush to parts of his body further south.

Gibbs leaned in closer, his lips again almost touching Tony's. "And I will." He moved his head, sideways as if he really might kiss the man this time. "But not now." Releasing Tony's wrist, Gibbs stepped back. "Dinner, tomorrow."

Giving a quick nod, Tony took a deep breath.

"And my father is definitely not invited."

A Cheshire grin spread across Tony's face.

"I'll make plans for him. Actually-" Gibbs pulled his phone out of his pocket and hit a button. "Yeah, Gibbs. Are you busy tomorrow night?" A pause. "Thought maybe you and Ziva would like to have dinner with my father." Gibbs winked at Tony. "My treat, where ever you wanna go." Another pause. "Good, 1800." He closed the phone and stuffed it back in his pocket.

Tony chuckled. "Jack's gonna know something's up."

"I know." Gibbs let out a long breath.

"He read us both." Tony smiled at Gibbs. "You definitely got that ability from your father. What other attributes did you get from your father?"

Gibbs' scowled. "Never ask me that again."

"I already know you got your big-"

Clamping his hand over Tony's mouth Gibbs glared at the younger man. "Don't even think about finishing that sentence." Cautiously, Gibbs pulled his hand away.

"Big blue eyes was all I was going to say." Tony smirked. "And why would you even think I would say, what you were thinking I was going to say."

"You and my dad are homeboys." Gibbs used Tony's words.

"Homeboys does not mean I know anything about the size of your father's-"

"ALRIGHT!" Gibbs snapped.

"Although." Tony's eyes glanced down at Gibbs' crotch. "From what I felt while you were grinding against me-"

"I was _not_ grinding against you, you were grinding against me!"

Tony shrugged. "Either way, impressive."

"So you wanna thank my father for that?" Gibbs snickered.

"Maybe I should." Tony turned towards the stairs, when he took a step a hand grabbed the back of his shirt and he was jerked back into two very strong arms.

"Behave."

Settling back against the body behind him, Tony smiled happily.

"Why does this make you smile?" Gibbs asked pulling Tony even deeper into the embrace.

"Because it's you and your playful and real and... just you." Tony paused. "Few people get to see that side of you, other than maybe Abby."

"Believe me, I'm never this playful with Abby." Gibbs couldn't help but let himself taste the sweetness of Tony's neck again. It was just a brief kiss, too brief, but if he went any further he'd never want to stop.

Tony sighed just as disappointed by the briefness of the touch.

Gibbs physically felt the smile fade from Tony's face even without seeing it. "What is it? Are you really worried about Abby."

"No." Tony rolled his eyes. He knew how much like a daughter Abby was to him."My relationship with Jack."

"I think he's okay with this."

"I know that." That part was very clear. "Are you going to tell him? I mean about this, not all of this but that something's going on, that we obviously talked about how we felt, sorta talked, we did talk right, words were said? Because I'm still thinking about that whole, you attacking my neck and grinding against me." Hearing Gibbs' playful chuckles, Tony started smiling again.

Resting his chin on Tony's shoulder, Gibbs tried to decide the best way to hand this. The two of them still had so much more to talk about and figure out. Still, his dad would know something was going on, neither of them would be able to completely hide it from him.

"Gibbs?"

"Oh wait, I was thinking about the feel of your skin under my lips and your ass grinding against me." There was a slight chuckle from Tony, but it faded quickly.

"I just don't wanna lie to him."

Gibbs was surprised by the seriousness and conviction in Tony's voice. "I'm not asking you to."

"Okay." Tony sighed with relief.

"But the longer we're down here, the more questions I'm going to have to answer." Gibbs groaned.

"True." Tony laughed. "I should head home anyway." He felt the arms around him tighten again. "You have to let me go."

"No." Gibbs mumbled softly as his eyes closed. If he had his wish, he'd never let Tony go. Part of him was still afraid Tony would walk out that front door and change his mind. So he held on, memorizing every detail of the moment as if it were the one and only moment he'd ever have. He memorized the feel of Tony's body wrapped tightly in his arms, how willingly Tony melted into his embrace and how perfectly they fit together. He memorized the scent of almond and spice, separate scents, he now realized. The almond, Tony's shampoo, the spice his after shave. Finally, he memorized the emotion, the happiness he felt at having the man he loved in his arms.

"You'll see me tomorrow." Tony said softly. "I promise."

Opening his eyes, Gibbs let out a heavy sign. "Right." His arms gradually loosened and Tony slipped from his embrace.

They stood there awkwardly for a moment.

Tony knew he should say something reassuring, could sense Gibbs needed that, but he had no clue what to say and he didn't want to say the wrong thing.

"I'll walk you up." Gibbs broke the silence.

The words from last night made Tony smile. "Is that Gibbs code for I don't wanna say goodbye just yet?"

"I don't have to walk you up." Gibbs shrugged. "I was being polite."

"No, you'll walk me up." Tony said stepping behind Gibbs and pushing the older man towards the steps. "Because I'm not facing Jack by myself."

"Chicken!" Gibbs chuckled. "I thought he was your homeboy."


	7. Chapter 7

Casually, Tony and Gibbs walked into the living room.

Jack looked up from the TV at the two men.

"Um, I'm heading out." Tony said quickly.

"Sure you don't wanna stay?" Jack glanced back and forth between Tony and his son. "There's left over chili."

"No, no." Tony shook his head. "Thanks though, I um, have a few things to get done before tomorrow."

"Sure." Jack nodded.

Tony and Gibbs both tried to calmly walk through the living room, just as they were about to step out of the room towards the door Jack spoke again.

"I can go to a hotel if you two need to be alone tomorrow night."

Gibbs stopped, his eyes closed and he ran his hand down his face. _Damn Abby! _He opened his eyes and Tony was standing there trying not to laugh.

"Better yet." Jack added. "Tony could get a damn double bed so you could have your fun over there."

Tony's eyes went wide and his mouth fell open.

"Not so funny when it's aimed directly at you is it?" Gibbs smirked.

"And one of you has a condom in your wallet right?"

Gibbs dropped his head back.

"Although, you probably both better have a condom." Another pause. "I mean if you-"

"ENOUGH!" Gibbs hollered. He rubbed his forehead. How had it gotten to this point?

"Have fun with him tonight." Tony laughed as he hurried towards the door. He pulled open the door, stepped out onto the porch and turning around to make a face at Gibbs. Shocked when he almost slammed straight into the older man, Tony lost his balance and started to stumble backward. To stop his fall he grabbed a hold of Gibbs' arms, shoving them both back against the door, and his body fell with full force against Gibbs.

The air rushed from Gibbs' lungs with a huff, his body pinned between the door and Tony.

"Are you okay?" Although concerned, Tony couldn't help himself, he started laughing.

"Yeah." Gibbs coughed as he took a couple deep breaths then grinned. "Not a bad way to have the air knocked out of you."

"You must have it real bad." Tony chuckled and patted Gibbs' chest.

"Did I not make that clear enough?"

Tony's fingers picked at Gibbs' shirt. "Yeah, sorta." He forced a smile as he stood up and took a step back "Can we finish this conversation tomorrow night?"

Gibbs nodded, trying to hide the fear that clutched at his heart. They had walked through the door, broken that first intense moment of sexual tension between them and now everything could easily fall apart.

Again, Tony wanted to say something, knew the silence, saying nothing, was worse than saying the wrong things. "Night." He managed to say as he hurried down the steps.

"Night Tony." Gibbs stepped inside and closed the door.

Reaching the driver's side door, Tony put the key in the lock, then stopped. Hand still on the key, he banged his head against the car. "Damn it." He groaned as he turned around and slumped against the door. "Why didn't you just tell him?" He chastised himself. "Now he thinks you're backing off or that you think this is all a mistake." Letting out a deep groan, he laid his head back and looked up at the sky. "You just let an amazing man, a gorgeous man, who is honestly and truly in love with you walk away thinking, you could give a shit less. How stupid are you?"

"That depends."

Tony's head shot up at the sound of the voice. He could barely make out the shadowy form of the man before him, but he didn't need to see him to know exactly who was standing there. He suddenly spewed forth a breathless montage of thoughts. "I'm not backing off and I don't think this was a mistake and you are amazing and gorgeous and I know that you love me and that scares the shit out of me. It scares me because it's you and you're my boss, my friend and a man. And I have never thought of being with a man, I mean never ever, not in boarding school or college, or ever, until you and I wanna be with you and then that scares me even more, because what if I don't like it or it doesn't turn me on because I have some weird idea of what it's supposed to be like and it turns out to be nothing like that. What if you kiss me and I don't feel anything. I mean I was definitely turned on by you kissing and biting my neck, but that's different right? I mean even Cher says it's in his kiss. When if you kiss me and I'm like, there is nothing there, not a damn thing. Then what happens? Or worse yet we make love, have a relationship and it ends, badly. Do we go back to being friends? Could you do that, could you be okay if it didn't work out between us?" Tony tried to fight back the emotion threatening to overwhelm him, he took a deep breath. "Because I can't lose you, you are one of the most important people in my life and I can't-"

Tony's babbling was abruptly stopped by warm lips crashing down upon his, then fingers winding into the hair on the back of his and holding his head still. The touch somehow made him open his mouth, close his eyes and kiss back. How could that simple action of hand to head, command such an unconscious reaction from him? Seconds later he was dizzy, overwhelmed by his senses trying to process the barrage of information. His senses became acutely focused. Everything faded away, except the man kissing him. The smell of old spice, wood, and the natural scent of the man. The thundering sound of his own heartbeat was suddenly matched by the sound of Gibbs' thumping heart against his chest. The two erratic rhythms quickly synchronizing as if they would never again be able to function separately. The taste was intoxicating, a hint of beer that swiftly faded into the flavor that truly was Gibbs, coffee. Strong, bold, acidic and for the first time Tony understood how people could drink their coffee black, because savoring that taste from Gibbs' mouth was sweeter than any sugar enriched drink he'd ever had.

Still the most power sensation was that of touch. The feel of Gibbs' hands, the one locked in his hair, the other clinging gently to his hip. The surprisingly soft lips that knew the perfect amount of pressure to apply, the rough texture of the tongue that skillfully explored every minute piece of his mouth then mingled with his own, not waging battle but demanding equality. Finally, the increasing warmth of their bodies slightly pressed together. His whole body was on fire and he could see the flames engulfing them behind his closed eyes. Then all of a sudden he was being drawn back into the world around him and he desperately tried to fight back. He clutched at the body against him trying to keep every inch of them touching. He tried to hold onto the lips that were suddenly slipping away, to draw them back to him and for a moment it seemed to work, but then they were pulling away again. His mind screamed at him 'DON'T LET THIS END!' but it was too late...it was already gone and only the memory of it remained.

Gibbs forehead rested on Tony's as he gasped for breath after his struggle to break free of the kiss that Tony refused to let end.

Tony's hands clutching at the shirt covering Gibbs' chest, something he didn't even remember doing. He took a couple deep breathes. "Okay so there is _absolutely_ something there." He panted. "I mean-"

Gibbs let out a soft chuckle.

Unclenching his fingers from Gibbs' shirt, Tony let his hands rest against the older man's chest, feeling the rapid thumping of Gibbs' heart under his palms. "This doesn't mean I'm not scared about the rest."

"I know." Gibbs kissed Tony's temple. "One step at a time."

Tony sighed. "Okay."

Gibbs pressed his lips against Tony's ear. "I have my own fears too."

For some reason that made Tony feel better. Knowing the man he saw as fearless, had some of his own calmed him.

Taking a step back, Gibbs smiled. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Yeah." He turned the key in the door and climbed inside.

"Be safe." Gibbs said as the door closed and the car started. He watched as it backed out of the driveway and disappeared down the road. Walking calmly to the porch, he paused at the door. "Wow." He smirked as he ran his hands down his face, his body still humming from that kiss. The exhilaration of the kiss faded and he groaned. _Great now he had to deal with his father._

* * *

Walking in as quietly as possible, Gibbs' first thought was to just go upstairs and ignore his father all together, but he wasn't tired and all he would do was to lay up there and stare at the ceiling. He needed to be occupied and that meant the basement, which meant facing his father. Stepping into the living room, hisfather's head was back, eyes closed as some commercial for body wash rang out from the TV. What was the likelihood that his father really was a sleep?

"I'm not asleep."

Gibbs rolled his eyes.

"If you two need me out of the house so badly I could stay with Ziva or Ducky."

"You don't need to stay anywhere." Gibbs opened the fridge and grabbed a beer.

"Then what's with the dinner."

"Just thought it might be nice."

"Yeah right." Jack snickered. "You and Tony have plans?"

"Dinner, but not here."

"See I told you, the man needs a double bed, he's in his forties who the hell sleeps in a single bed at that age! If he had a double bed you wouldn't have to end up over here."

Walking out of the kitchen and through the dining room, Gibbs stopped and leaned against the wall into the living room. "I'm not sure if I should be offended or proud that you think I could and would sleep with someone on the first date."

"Second date?" Jack smirked.

Gibbs rolled his eyes.

"It's not like Tony's some random guy you picked up at a bar." Jack chortled. "You've known the man for over a decade and loved him for almost as long. You should have slept with him years ago."

Another eye roll.

"Is there a problem?" Jack cocked his head. "You know, I mean." He gave his son a questioning look. "They have medication for that kinda thing."

"What!" Gibbs' eyes went wide. "NO, that is definitely not a problem." He rubbed his forehead. "Jesus, dad."

"Tony?"

"No!" Gibbs balked. "No one has that problem!"

"Good." Jack waited as if expecting his son to offer further explanation. He should have known better. Instead, he concentrated on his son's expression and the contemplative look in the blue eyes. "I get why Tony's scared, but you, not sure about that."

Gibbs' brow knitted. "And why do understand Tony being scared?"

"Come on. He's never been with a man, gotta be kinda scary even if you do want it."

"I thought Tony never talked to you about that?" Gibbs remembered asking his father if Tony had talked to him.

"He didn't have to tell me." Jack snickered. "If Tony had been with men before, you two would have already slept together."

"What does that mean?" Gibbs asked annoyed.

"Jethro, really?" Jack laughed. "With the ladies, Tony's a skilled hunter. He knows what he likes, knows the hunting grounds, knows exactly the right moves to make." He smirked. "And most of all he knows the perfect prey. He draws them in effortlessly, like a moth to a flame, then he strikes. He's that all American pretty boy, with a hint of mischief in his eyes. The kinda man a woman knows she shouldn't want, because he won't be there long, but she just can't help herself."

"Yeah." Gibbs didn't need to be reminded of Tony's "hunting skills" with women.

"I know you know all of this. The point is-" Jack sighed. "If Tony had any experience with men, he would have already hunted you down and had you for breakfast, lunch and dinner."

Gibbs couldn't help it he laughed, then shook his head. "You're probably right."

"There's no probably about it." Jack corrected. "He trusts the feelings, he knows it's real, but he has no clue what to do with it all."

Giving a slight nod, Gibbs shuffled slowly towards the chair by the couch, placed his beer on the table and dropped down in the chair.

"So what is it Jethro?" Jack knew his son had his own apprehensions.

Running his hands through his hair, Gibbs leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "He asked me, if we do this and it doesn't work, could I go back to being friends." He took a deep breath. "I'm not sure I could." Then blew it out and shook his head. "I don't think I could handle losing him." His jaw clenched. "Or seeing him with someone else-especially another man."

Jack saw the green hue rage in his son's blue eyes. The Gibbs men were a jealous breed when it came to the ones they love. "Then it's simple." He paused. "Make it work."

"Thanks." The word dripped with sarcasm as Gibbs slumped back into the chair. _If only it were that easy._

"It is that easy." Jack gave his son a reassuring smile. "Because when you want something, really want something, nothing can stop you."

Gibbs looked at his father with baffled respect. He'd spent so much time angry with his father that he'd forgotten how alike they were, not as alike as Tony and Senior, but he definitely had inherited some of his best traits from Jack. The ability to read people, how to weave a story together, in his case used more to solve cases than to spin a yarn. His charm was all Jackson Gibbs, although he reserved his charm for a chosen few. His father was always charming. Then of course there was looks. Everyone said he looked like his father, but then no one had anyone else to compare him to. He'd never showed anyone a picture of his mother. Not that it would have mattered, he really did look more like his father, especially as he aged. The obvious blue eyes and that piercing Gibbs stare.

He normally would have said he had his father's crooked smile, but he amended that now. That night after Tony had seen the picture of his mother, the Italian has said he had his mother's smile. When Tony went upstairs, he'd searched the small pocket within his wallet for the picture of his mother he kept buried there. She was sitting on the steps of the porch at their home in Stillwater. She was looking off to the right at something in the yard, it was probably him playing. Her curly hair was pushed back behind her ears making her bright crooked smile even more prominent in the picture. Tony was right, it was definitely a mirror image of his own crooked smile. Although, his father had a crooked smile, it was different. It was the sentiment behind the smile that said it all. His father's smile was always given with a hint of playful mischief, his mother's with a hint of melancholy. His own smile echoed the melancholy.

"Thankfully you got the best of both of us." Jack always knew when Jethro was thinking about his mother because Jethro most looked like his mother when he was thinking of her with that melancholic expression.

"That I did." Gibbs sighed with a smile. It never occurred to him that he would have this kind of relationship with his father again. He was old enough now to appreciate their closeness and admonish himself for all the wasted years not talking, something that was mostly his own fault.

"Have you ever had an actually relationship with a man?" It was one of the questions Jack couldn't get a read on with his son. He knew Jethro had obviously had sex with men, but had no clue if his son had ever let it be more."

"Once...briefly." The bile churned in Gibbs' gut and he struggled to keep it down. The sickly feeling and regret an all too familiar penitence brought on by thoughts of that relationship. He snatched the beer from the table and downed half of what was left. After a long hard swallow, he took a deep breath. "I'll do whatever it takes to make it work with Tony."

Jack saw the renewed termination and conviction in his son's eyes. "I have no doubt you will." He didn't push for more information, the regret and remorse about the relationship was painfully clear and it was even clearer that Jethro was the cause of that relationships end. "You getting hungry? I can heat up the chili."

"Sounds good." Gibbs stood up and turned to head towards the kitchen. He stopped and turned back to his father. "Dad." He paused. "Thanks."

Giving a nod, Jack smiled a you're welcome, the smile hiding the deeper emotion that moved him. The fact that after decades of not even speaking, they could now sit down and talk, not just as father and son, but as friends.


	8. Chapter 8

I'm going to be busy starting at the beginning of the week so thought I would get this up for everyone. Enjoy and as always thanks for all the support, reviews and for reading :) ***BIG HUGS***

Srienia thank you so much for being an amazing beta reader.

##########

He actually got what he wished for, sort of. He wanted to walk into the bullpen and catch a case. A case that would keep them busy, keep him occupied, keep his mind off tonight. He also wanted the case wrapped up shortly before five so it wouldn't interfere with tonight's plans. They did get a case, just as all three of his agents were arriving at seven. Problem was the case was closed, paperwork done, he was walking back to the bullpen from the director's office and it was only a little after three. Now he had two hours to think about tonight; to think of everything he wanted to say and probably wouldn't, everything he wanted to do and just how much of that the other man might actually be comfortable with at this point. He stopped just before reaching the steps back down to the bullpen and put his hands on the railing. Staring down, there were two empty desks and McGee sitting there engrossed in his computer screen. Ziva was in the evidence locker helping get the two crates of guns they'd found during the case ready to be transferred to Home Land Security and Tony was in Abby's lab helping her bag up countless boxes of ammunition that were being transfer as well now that her testing was done.

He hadn't been alone with Tony all day, it wasn't a conscious plan, it had just worked out that way. They had all taken one car to the crime scene, him driving, Tony riding shot gun and Ziva and McGee in the back. He'd handed out assignment at the scene like he always did. It just so happened, those assignments sent Tony and Ziva in one direction and him and McGee in another. Later, Tony and McGee interrogated the wife, him and Ziva the son. All done for specific reasons. The wife was beautiful, flirtatious and obviously attracted to younger men, specifically Tony. The son was a petty officer and clearly used to following orders from an authority figure, as well as stealing plenty of glances at Ziva. Tony and Ziva overseeing the transfer of the guns and ammunition made sense. Ziva had more knowledge of weapons than almost all of them put together and Tony was the Senior Field Agent, he should be overseeing things.

Gibbs sighed and put his elbows on the railing and leaned forward. That was the rational explanation he told to himself, but the truth was it was all done on purpose with forethought. He was afraid to be alone with Tony, afraid of what he might say and even more afraid of what he might do. His body was still sexually charged, humming with the memory of the taste of the soft flesh of Tony's neck and the eagerness of Tony's lips during that first kiss. The humming had prevented him from sleeping last night, instead forcing him to lie in bed replaying that kiss over and over again and now all he wanted was more. More of Tony's lips...no, more of everything Tony.

It was the desperate need for more that caused him to stay away from Tony as much as possible today. He wanted to get this unquenchable need under control before tonight. This was all new to Tony, all of it, and that would require patience on Gibbs' part. Unfortunately, patience was not his strong suit, especially when it came to something he wanted. He felt the corner of his mouth start to curl into smirk. Who would have thought he'd ever be standing here thinking about taking it slow with Tony? Funny, all the fantasies he'd had about the two of them, were either these wild animalistic ripping each other's clothes off fucks or these long slow intensely emotional staring into each other's eyes love making. Still, in both Tony was always experienced, knowing what he wanted, how he wanted it or taking it. Yet Gibbs could never imagine Tony with a man, that was the whole reason he'd never admitted to Tony how he felt. So why did his imagination assume Tony was experienced? He chuckled to himself. Because imagination, fantasies were never logical or even remotely like reality. That's why so many people were disappointed when fantasy became reality. Lying there in bed last night, that concern had crossed his mind more than once. He pulled his gaze from the bullpen and made his way towards the elevator. Oh he wasn't concerned that Tony wouldn't live up to his fantasies, he already knew reality was better than any fantasy he'd ever had of the younger man. The concern was would he live up to Tony's fantasy. How do you live up to a fantasy a straight man has about being with another man, when he has no idea what it's really like?

The door opened and Gibbs' heart skipped when he saw Tony leaning against the back of the elevator, another agent standing there looking at Gibbs with that slight fear most agents had when they saw him. Silently, he turned around and faced the doors as they closed. The elevator stopped at the next floor and he stepped aside, expecting Tony and the other man to exit. Instead, the nameless agent hurried out of the elevator and the doors closed again. Staring at the elevator buttons, Gibbs managed to speak.

"Everything on its way to Home Land Security?"

"Yeah, um." Tony hesitated. "They just picked everything up."

"Good." Gibbs nodded still staring at buttons before him. Then he saw the hand reach out and flick the stop switch. The elevator lunged to a haul. He closed his eyes a moment and took a deep breath.

"Having second thoughts about tonight?" Tony asked his voice cracking mid-sentence.

Shaking his head, Gibbs sighed. "Never."

"So then I can only assume your avoiding being alone with me because you're afraid of what you might do."

"Yes." The word came out as a low moan. Gibbs sensed Tony's movement before he felt the warmth behind him. God Tony was so close! All he had to do was turn around and he could have the younger man in his arms. His pulse quickened when he felt the two fingers hook onto his and he closed his fist around the welcome contact. It was such a simple touch, yet intimate, expressing how their relationship had changed, evolved.

Tony's free hand slipped by Gibbs, brushing against the older man's hip as Tony started the elevator. It lurched up, then started to descend again. When it stopped outside Abby's lab, Tony stepped around Gibbs, surprised when the older man didn't let go of his hand. It wasn't until he had taken a step out of the elevator that he felt his fingers released. Tony turned around as the doors slowly started to close, his green eyes meeting blue. That million dollar DiNozzo smile suddenly plastered itself across Tony's face as he saw Gibbs give a wink just as the doors closed. Spinning around and taking off towards Abby's lab, Tony chuckled. What was it with them and elevators?

* * *

Gibbs glanced at his watch for the fifth time in as many minute.

"That's all for today. Thanks everyone."

As SecNav spoke those parting words, Gibbs was already up and hurrying to make his way out of MTAC. His hand was on the door knob, the door was open and then-

"Agent Gibbs"

Gibbs' head dropped forward. "What?"

"Deputy Director Craig is waiting to speak to you."

Letting go of the door, Gibbs shuffled lazily back down to the front of MTAC. A second later the Deputy Director's face appeared on the screen.

"Can you see me?"

Gibbs did his best to stop the eye roll that started. "Yes."

"I can see you." Deputy Director Craig smiled.

Again, Gibbs suppressed an eye roll and instead nodded. When Craig didn't speak, Gibbs sighed. "Something you needed Deputy Director?" Everyone was refusing to call Craig director, even Acting Director.

"Just checking in." Craig cleared his throat and tried to show some sense of authority. "Everything running smoothly back there?"

Another nod. The man had been gone just over twenty-four hours and was due back tomorrow. There was no reason to check in, but Craig wasn't used to running things and he definitely wasn't used to running things then being called away.

"Good."

Gibbs looked at his watch. "You'll be back in less than fourteen hours." He looked back at the screen. "Everything will be fine."

"Right." Taking a deep breath, Craig smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Again all Gibbs could muster was a nod then he glanced at the MTAC controller and the screen went blank. Gibbs sighed. "Thanks Rick."

"Not a problem." Rick smirked. He'd been a MTAC controller long enough to know when Gibbs was done with a conversation.

Gibbs ran his hands through his hair. "No more."

Rick nodded. "Good night agent Gibbs."

"Night." Heading back towards the door. Gibbs could suddenly hear Mike Franks voice in his head. _Craig is the future of NCIS." Mike would shake his head. "Hell, I'd put Leon on a twenty-four seven, six man protection detail just to make sure I wouldn't have to deal with numbnuts Deputy Director Craig ever possible becoming Director. _ He chuckled to himself, that thought had crossed his mind more than once. The door closed behind him and he hurried down the stairs to the empty bullpen. It was already after six so his father should be out to dinner with Abby and Ziva, and Tony would be at home making dinner. It was too late to stop at home now, he'd told Tony he'd be there by six-thirty, and he'd be lucky to make it on time just going straight to the apartment. Reaching his desk, he paused, brow furrowed. His coat was folded neatly over the back of his chair, his computer was off, the files he'd left scattered across his desk were stacked neatly on the corner. It had to be-before he could complete his thought his phone beeped. Tugging it out of his pocket, he flipped it open and pulled up the blinking message.

_Computer's off, files have been double check and just need your signature, which can wait till morning. So pick up your coat and leave. Dinner's almost ready. - Tony_

Gibbs grinned as he snapped the phone closed, grabbed his coat and ran to the elevator.

* * *

He turned off the cold water and picked up the colander, jiggling it to let the water drain away, then sat it back down in the sink. Turning back to the stove top, he picked up the wooden spoon and stirred the pot of red sauce. He paused listening for the faint noise he thought he heard, there it was again, a knock at the door. "It's open." Tony bellowed waiting, listening for the door to open and close. When he heard nothing, he put the spoon down and pivoted on his heels about to head towards the door. He almost jumped when he saw Gibbs stand in the opening between the kitchen and the living room. Chuckling, he shook his head. "You'd think I'd be used to you opening and closing a door silently."

"You'd think." Gibbs smirked one hand behind his back.

Glancing at the hidden hand, Tony grinned. "Oh please tell me you're not hiding flowers behind your back."

Gibbs walked into the kitchen and sat a bag down on the kitchen island.

Tony's eyes widened. "You stopped at Cafe Deserto!"

"Tiramisu." Gibbs slipped off his coat and tossed it onto one of the island chairs.

"My favorite." Tony smiled and looked away, suddenly a ball of nerves.

"Smells good." Gibbs said walking around the island and leaning against it next to Tony

"Everything's almost ready." Tony waved a hand over the pots and pans. "Sugo all'arrabbiata."

"Okay."

"Arrabbiata, means angry." Tony explained as he stirred the sauce, needing to focus on something than the other man. "Named so because it's a hot and spicy sauce and I made it extra spicy for you."

"Sounds great."

"Hopefully, it's been awhile since I've made it." Tony dipped his finger into the sauce and was just about to bring it to his lips when he felt the vice like grip on his wrist. Slowly his gaze followed the hand up and locked onto the steel blue eyes. He watched mesmerized as Gibbs brought the sauce covered finger to his lips and sucked the digit into his mouth. Taking a sharp breath, Tony's mouth parted slightly as Gibbs' tongue licked up the finger then across the tip making sure to remove every last drop of sauce.

Blue eyes stayed glued to green as Gibbs casually let Tony's finger slip from his lips. "It's very good." He licked his lips as he released Tony's wrist. He smiled to himself when the hand stayed there in midair. There it was, that look. A look full of lust and curiosity in Tony's eyes, asking just what else he wanted. Gibbs wanted to answer, to say he would love nothing more than to forget about the food, drop to his knees and feast on the Italian man instead. The thought vanished, replaced by the need that had consumed him all day. He captured Tony's lips, his arms circling the younger man's waist and tugging their bodies together.

Tony felt the now familiar brush of Gibbs' hand against the small of his back. Without thinking, his body settled against Gibbs wanting as much contact as possible. The movement caused Gibbs to groan into the kiss, then start to draw back. Even when their lips finally parted, their bodies refused to separate.

"I wanted to kiss you all day." Gibbs hummed. "It's all I could think about."

"Somehow I don't think that was all you were thinking about." Tony laughed nervously.

"No, it wasn't, but a kiss will do." Gibbs sighed. "For now."

"Um we should eat." Tony smiled pulling away from Gibbs.

"Yeah." Gibbs' hands fell from Tony's waist and he took a step back. Watching Tony pull out plates, he tried to ignore the twinge of worry that settled in his stomach again. He immediately regretted everything, the kiss and what he'd said. The last thing he wanted was for Tony to feel as if he was pushing.

* * *

Dinner was spent in bits of small talk about the case, then silence, then small talk about the food, then silence. On and on until finally they were both done eating.

"I'll get these out of the way." Tony said as he gathered the plates and headed into the kitchen. Placing them in the sink he made his way back into the living room stopping by the arm of the couch by Gibbs. "Desert?"

"No." Gibbs shook his head. "Sit."

"I just need to-" Turning to walk away again, Tony paused when the hand captured his wrist.

"Tony, please." Loosening his grip, Gibbs' thumb caressed over Tony's pulse. "Tell me what's bothering you...is it what I said? I wasn't trying to push you or sound-"

"It's not what you said it's-" Tony stopped in mid-sentence, then sat down on the arm of the couch.

Gibbs let go of Tony's wrist and waited, giving Tony as much time as he needed.

"When I'm with you-" Tony said as he stared at his hands. "I don't know who I am anymore."

"I'm not asking you to be someone you're not." Gibbs moistened his dry lips and worked to keep his voice steady. "If this isn't going to work, it's okay." He really thought after today, the way Tony was in the elevator, the small touch, that everything was going to be okay.

Turning sideways on the arm of the couch, Tony put his feet up on the cushion by Gibbs' leg. "That's not what I was trying to say."

"Then what?"

Tony could hear the edge of worry in Gibbs' voice. "When was your first time for any experience with a boy or man?"

"Tony." Gibbs groaned sinking deeper into the couch.

"An age!" Tony snapped. "One word, a number."

Gibbs stared at Tony, confused by the sharpness. "Fourteen."

"And the time after that?"

Letting out a heavy breath, Gibbs answered. "Sixteen."

"And I'm sure there have been experiences in the service or between wives."

"Yeah."

Tony shook his head and smiled a nostalgic smile. "I was thirteen when I got my first hand job and blow job and as you know sixteen is when I lost my virginity. From then on I was the Master." He chuckled. "I knew every line, every trick, every way to smile to reel 'em in, whether it was for sex or a relationship," He tipped his head from side to side. "Although it was usually sex, until Wendy. When that ended, I never doubted by abilities to go right back to the hunt."

"I remember." Gibbs had been there when Wendy called off the wedding and when a few months later Tony started dating again.

"Even after Jeanne it wasn't that I doubted my ability, it was something else." Getting over Jeanne had been harder than Wendy. With Wendy it wasn't so much about love as it was the hurt of her walking away without an explanation. With Jeanne it was love, but this surreal made up love that seem to take place in another life time.

Gibbs knew Jeanne was different, knew if the relationship hadn't been predicated on a lie, things might have ended differently.

"And once I dealt with everything, it was easy to fall right back into that groove."

"I get it Tony, you like woman." Gibbs spoke through clenched jaw. He didn't need to be reminded of Tony's prowess with the opposite sex. "I see it every day."

"It's not about liking women." Tony scoffed.

Gibbs' eyes narrowed.

"I know women." Tony sighed and his shoulders slumped forward. "I know everything about them. From what they think they want, to what they really want and everything in between. And most of all I know exactly how to give them what they need, no questions asked." He paused and took a deep breath before looking at Gibbs. "I don't know what you want or need, or how to give it to you." He shook his head. "For once since I was a teenager, I'm completely clueless and I'm not the one taking the lead, I'm not in control."

Gibbs chuckled as he ran his hands through his hair. "You're wrong."

"Excuse me!" Tony balked.

Turning sideways, Gibbs curled one leg up onto the couch and stared at Tony. "You know exactly what I want...I want you, just you, as you are, good and bad." He shook his head. "And you're definitely not clueless. I want the same thing every woman you were ever with wanted from you."

"And what's that?"

Gibbs' hand caressed up the side of Tony's knee. "You naked in my bed so we can make love all night long."

Tony felt the flush spread through his entire body. It seemed to start at his groin and spread up his spine and down his legs until he was completely engulfed.

"As for you not being in control." Gibbs chuckled. "You have all the control, because if it were up to me." His eyes skimmed over Tony's body and his hand clawed at Tony's hip. "I would have already been on my knee's sucking your cock in the kitchen."

Involuntarily, Tony's hand found its way over Gibbs' that was now at his hip and he squeezed it tightly.

"But I will not rush you in to anything, you control every step we take up until after the first time we make love."

Tony swallowed the lump in his throat. "And then what?" He asked in a whisper.

"And then." Gibbs upper body leaned towards Tony as he practically purred the words. "Then we're on equal ground and I will take every opportunity possible to have you, any way I want you." He looked down at his chest when he felt the hand suddenly pressing against his sternum, then back up at Tony.

Tony chewed at the corner of his lip, then sighed as his green eyes gazed at Gibbs. "And I bet you've been thinking about all those countless ways you wanna have me."

Gibbs nodded as the hand knotted into his shirt then slowly relaxed again. "What is it?"

"Promise me something." Tony gently pushed Gibbs down onto the couch, his own body following the older man's descent.

"Anything."

"What I said last night by the car." Tony sighed looking down at Gibbs. "I don't wanna lose you or our friendship, no matter what happens between us."

A lump lodged itself in Gibbs' throat.

"Promise me." Tony repeated it, this time with a hint of pleading in his voice.

"You won't lose me." Gibbs managed to say as he swallowed the lump.

"Promise."

Gibbs saw the uneasiness in the normally carefree green eyes and he said what he knew had to be said. "I promise."

Any concern faded from Tony's eyes and smiled. "Thank you." He worked a knee between Gibbs' legs, and they parted willingly. He dipped down and ran his tongue up the center of Gibbs' lips, then just stayed there, lips close but not touching. He stayed there unmoving just taking in Gibbs' breath.

"Tony." Gibbs whispered his hands caressing up Tony's thighs.

"Say please." Tony sighed staring into the blue eyes, daring Gibbs to challenge him.

Gibbs didn't even hesitate. "Please."

The kiss was brutally delicious and everything Gibbs had ever dreamed of when Tony would kiss him. Lips smashed against lips, then quick not so gentle bites to his bottom lip, followed by Tony's rough forcefully tongue thrusting its way between his lips and deep into his mouth. The kiss told him everything he already knew, but that Tony was just starting to discover...that this was all the same. It didn't matter that they were two men, relationships and all the feelings that went along with it were the same, they didn't change based on gender.

The knee between his legs started to rub up and down against his balls and cock, Gibbs growled as he ripped their lips apart, but instead of stopping, Tony's lips kissed their way down his neck and to his throat. He threw his head back and felt the first light nibble of Tony's teeth on his throat. "Tony!" He moaned flipping them onto their sides, pushing Tony against the back of the couch.

In an instant they were a tangled mess of arms and legs, both trying to mesh their bodies together as if they never wanted to be parted. Tony continued his assault on Gibbs' throat as his hands randomly explored the curve of Gibbs' back and the way the older man's spine arched under his touch. A thought suddenly hit him. He wanted to learn every piece of Gibbs' body, touch it, kiss it, discover everything. Slipping his hand between them, his fingers grazed up the inside of Gibbs thigh stopping before he reached the older man's cock.

"Fuck!" Gibbs howled as he jerked his hips back away from Tony's touch.

Shocked by the withdrawal, Tony looked at Gibbs confused. "Okay, wanna explain that reaction."

"Um." Gibbs was trying to find a discrete way to explain. Something that didn't make him sound like...

Tony smirked. "Oh Leroy Jethro Gibbs." He lightly squeezed Gibbs' thigh heard a guttural moan. "You are cute when you're flustered."

"Tony." Gibbs hissed as he cupped Tony's ass with both hands.

"Oh come on, this is priceless." Tony wiggled his eyebrows. "Wanna dry hump me till you come?" His eyes went wide as he was somehow maneuvered and tossed down onto his back on the couch.

"And what about you?" Gibbs' eyes skimmed down Tony's body stopping at the obvious bulge in the younger man's pants. He grinned. "I saw the way your eyes dilate when I said if I was in control I would have already sucked your cock in the kitchen." As if on cue, Tony's eyes responded again to the words. Leaning down closer, Gibbs licked his lips. "Do you want me to unzip your pants-" His fingers traced over the zipper of Tony's pants making the cock beneath twitch. "And suck your cock?"

Tony hissed as he arched into the touch. "Point taken."

"Good." Gibbs let go and sat up. He offered a hand to Tony and pulled the younger man up beside him.

"I'm surprised you didn't expect me to answer that question." Tony laughed apprehensively.

Gibbs softly brushed his lips against Tony's. "I told you, you're in charge." He paused. "And if you wanted to take me up on my offer, you would have answered."

_He was right._ Tony knew that, as much as the thought excited him and turned him on, he wasn't quite ready. The thought gave him pause, he had just turned down a blow job for the first time since he was thirteen.


	9. Chapter 9

"You have to come visit more often." Abby patted Jack's hand. "You can always stay with me."

Jack's left eyebrow went up.

She gave an evil smirk. "Right, well you can stay with Ziva or Ducky, even McGee or Tony, they'd give up their bed for you."

"I'm sure they would." Jack looked over at Ziva. She was pushing the last remains of her meal around on the plate absentmindedly. "Is it serious?"

It took her a second to realize the words were spoken to her. "Excuse me?"

"Whomever you're seeing." Jack smiled. "Is it serious?"

"I um, I-" Ziva thought about lying, but decided against it. She gave a half smile. "I am not sure yet."

"It's getting there." Abby grinned.

"Maybe." Ziva said as she put her fork down and took a long sip of her glass of wine.

"How longs it been?" He asked.

"Awhile, but things have become more intense the last month." That was a nice way of putting it.

"Because of losing your father?" His son had told him all about it.

She nodded. "I was not expecting-I thought being apart while I was in Israel would lessen our feelings."

"But it didn't"

"It did not-in fact-"

"This person-" Abby cut in. "Offered to come to Israel to be there for Ziva."

Jack nodded. "This person really must care about you."

"Yes, I believe so."

"So what's the problem?"

"It is nothing." Ziva shook her head. She wasn't ready to go into details, even Abby didn't know everything about the relationship.

"As long as you're happy and treated like the lady you are, I'm happy for you."

"Thank you Jack." Ziva leaned over and kissed his cheek. He could always make her feel better, just like Gibbs.

"Did Gibbs have a date tonight?" Abby wiggled her eyebrows hoping to get a scoop on the bossman.

Jack shook his head. "A friend needed him." He grinned widely. "Which worked out well for me. I get to spend the evening with two beautiful ladies."

"You are the sweet talker." Abby winked.

Jack gave her a wink back. Evidently his son hadn't explained to Abby why he wanted his father occupied for the evening. Not that Gibbs should have explained, hell, his son and Tony needed to work out what the hell was going on between them first before trying to explain it to anyone else.

* * *

Shifting slightly, he heard the purr and tightened his arm around the body against him. He smiled as he rocked his hips up, his hard cock pressing against the firm ass in front of him. God, he hadn't felt this good, this content in so long. He placed a kiss on the side of the man's neck and was rewarded with another purring sound and a hand reaching back and touching his cheek. Suddenly his eyes shot open and he remembered where he was. They had fallen asleep, on the couch, watching some cop drama on TV that Tony liked.

Picking up his arm he looked at his watch. "Damn it." Gibbs groaned nudging Tony. "I need to go."

"Why?" Tony sighed ignoring the nudge and flipping over onto his other side to look at Gibbs. "What time is it?"

"It's after two."

"Then just stay."

"My dad, remember."

Tony giggled sleepily. "How old are you again?"

Gibbs reached around and smacked Tony's ass.

"Oh come on! You're worried about rushing home became of what your dad might think?"

"A little bit."

Gazing into the blue eyes before him, Tony smiled sleepily. "I'm pretty sure Jack won't care that we spend the night together since he went to all the trouble of setting us up on a blind date so we would finally talk to each other about how we feel."

Blowing out a long breath, Gibbs shook his head.

"What you're worried about is the mercilessly teasing and questioning he's going to bombard you with."

Gibbs glared at Tony for a moment, then sighed. It was the truth.

Tony's hand caressed Gibbs' cheek. "Kiss me and go back to sleep." Capturing Gibbs' lips, he felt the older man's resolve fade as Gibbs' arms clawed their way up his back. He ended the kiss just before it could turn from an ember into a flame. Tracing a finger over Gibbs lower lip, Tony sighed breathlessly. "I don't want you to go...stay."

Gibbs was unprepared for the effect the simple request would have on him. His heart pounded against his sternum as the blood surged through his body, burning like liquid fire in his veins. The world around them could have been coming to an end, crumbling underneath them and he would have just held Tony tighter and let it happen. Without knowing it, he nodded.

Tony's lips brushed against Gibbs' briefly. then he whispered. "My alarm's set for five. Is that okay?"

Gibbs nodded.

"You can shower and get ready here." Tony reached over to the side table and turned off the light, bathing them in darkness. Then he rolled over, took Gibbs' arm and wrapped it back around his waist. The arm tightened around him and he settled against Gibbs' warm body. "I'm sure you have clothes in the truck."

Gibbs mumbled a yes and they fell into a sleepy silence.

A few seconds later, Tony chuckled.

"Some things I can't control." Gibbs balked. His hormonal response to Tony wanting him to stay and having the younger man in his arms had made him rock hard again.

Another chuckle and Tony's fingers brushed over Gibbs' arm. He stared out into the darkness as he laid his hand over Gibbs' and interlocked their fingers.

Squeezing their joined hands, Gibbs pressed his lips against the curve of Tony's earlobe. "Tell me why you wanted me to stay?"

"I wanted to go back to sleep in your arms." Tony held his breath as he waited for a response.

"Liar." Gibbs whispered into Tony's ear as his hand slipped out from under the other man's and found its way under the bottom edge of Tony's dress shirt. His calloused fingertips traced a path across the skin of Tony's stomach just above the waist band of his pants. The touch caused the muscles under his fingers to ripple. "Sleep is _not_ what you want."

"No." Tony's voice trembled. "It's not."

"You haven't been able to stop thinking about it have you?" Gibbs toyed with the button under his fingers.

Tony shook his head not even considering the fact they were in the dark and Gibbs couldn't see the motion.

It didn't matter. Gibbs didn't need to see or hear an answer, he already knew. Popping the button open, his fingers slipped inside and skimmed through the soft hairs above Tony's cock. "When I tell you I wanna do something to you, it doesn't mean I expect anything in return." He knew why Tony had turned down his offer earlier. Tony figured if Gibbs wanted to give a blow job, he expected one in return.

"I wanna do everything with you." Tony blew out a long breath. "In the past few days, I've had fantasies about us doing things I never thought I would dowith anyone, let alone a man but-"

"I know." Gibbs' lips grazed up Tony's neck as he drew his fingers away from the prize. His fingers skimmed down the length of Tony's zipper feeling the bulge beneath twitch and pulse.

"I-" There was a long pause. _Why was it so hard to explain?_ Tony couldn't find the right words or even the right way to express how he was feeling. Gibbs was right. He'd turned down the blow job because he was afraid he'd have to return the favor. It wasn't that he didn't want to, hell all he'd thought about for the past few days was sex with Gibbs. Sucking and fucking, in bed, on the floor, against the wall, in every position possible. Yet as much as it turned him on, it also scared the hell out of him. Here he was a man in his forties, wanting another man for the first time, experiencing feelings and emotions he never thought he would, and it could change his life forever if he let it. "I don't wanna disappoint you." The words spilled out of his mouth unexpectedly.

Gibbs sighed as his fingers played with the pull tab on the zipper of Tony's pants. "I want you and anything you do to me-"

Tony whimpered as Gibbs slowly started to drag the zipper down.

"I will love every minute of it-" Gibbs growled as the zipper parted completely and Tony's hard cock sprang free. "Because it's you doing it." His fingers swept up the underside of Tony's cock causing the body against him to tremble.

Mouth falling open, Tony gasped for air as Gibbs' hand engulfed his cock.

"As much as I wanna taste you, this is almost as good." Gibbs hissed stroking up Tony's cock. A few quick long strokes and...

"Fu-" The word hung unfinished in the air as Tony came without warning. It was fast and hard making every muscle in his body contract. _That did not just happen!_ Was all he could think as gradually his muscles relaxed. "I didn't-"

"I knew I was good, but I'm better than I thought."

Tony broke out laughing. Only Gibbs could make him laugh at something so embarrassing.

"I'm truly flattered."

"Good I'm glad." Tony said as the laughter. "That is so embarrassing."

"No it's not." Gibbs nibbled at Tony's ear. "It's sexy as hell knowing I can have that effect on you."

"Great I'm feeding your ego." Tony continued to laugh as he started to get up. "I need to get cleaned up."

Gibbs felt Tony slip off the couch and heard the padding of feet towards the bathroom. Once he heard the water running, he got up and made his way into the kitchen. He switched on the light, washed his hands and dried them on a towel lying by the sink. Leaning back against the counter, his gaze landed on the thick black wallet lying on the corner of the island. The thought that he was invading Tony's privacy was forgotten as he remembered his father telling him about the picture. He opened the wallet and was greeted by a picture of a smiling young woman. A brunette, deep brown eyes, and a gorgeous smile. She was the top picture in a plastic photo flip insert. He flipped to the last picture, which wasn't a picture but a video store rental card. Flipping back to the brunette, he turned to the next picture and smiled. It was of Ziva, Abby and Tim making a face at the camera. Beside that was a picture of Tony flanked by two men, all of them dressed in red and gray Ohio State shirts and smiling. Another flip and he was greeted with a picture he had seen before. A picture of an eight year old Tony and his mother. Next to that a folded picture blank side facing out and he knew what that picture was as well. A fishing trip picture of Tony and Senior. His father was wrong, there was no picture of him.

"I took it out."

Closing the wallet, Gibbs put it down and turned to Tony standing just inside the kitchen now wearing sweats and a t-shirt. "I shouldn't have-"

"I knew Jack saw the picture." Tony walked to the far counter. "And after the "date" I knew he would tell you about it. So I thought it would be better to take it out." He opened a drawer and pulled out a picture then handed it to Gibbs.

Gibbs' brow furrowed. His dad was right. The picture was him in a green Carhartt jacket, outside. "That's Ducky's back yard."

"Fourth of July, seven years ago." Tony glanced down at the photo again. "It's been in my wallet for about five."

With a nod, Gibbs dropped the picture down next to Tony's wallet.

Tony's arms snaked around Gibbs' waist. "And the picture of the brunette. Came with the wallet, the picture of you was over it." He smirked. "In case you were wondering."

Gibbs laughed trying to make it appear as if he didn't care about the woman's picture. "Why carry a picture of me?"

"You're my friend, I care about you." Tony shrugged. "Plus you look hot."

With a snort, Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Yeah right."

"Please!" Tony balked. "You're a sexy man, whether you're in a Carhartt jacket or a three piece suit."

"Is that so?" Gibbs gave that half smile.

"Um hum." Tony nodded. "Very sexy. I love you in that Carhartt."

"Carhartt?" Running a finger down Tony's jawline, Gibbs chuckled. "Never thought that would be what you thought was sexy."

"I think a lot of things are sexy." Tony wiggled his eyebrows and gave Gibbs a quick kiss. "I'm sure you have or have had a picture of me in your wallet."

"No."

Tony's eyebrows went up and his mouth fell open. "You just blatantly lied to me!" Gibbs was a trained liar, the best when it came to the job, but he couldn't lie to the people he loved.

"What?"

Grabbing the wallet out of Gibbs' back pocket, Tony held it up between them. "So if I look in here, I won't find a picture of me in it?"

Gibbs shook his head.

"Okay." Flipping the wallet open, Tony glanced inside. There was no plastic picture insert, just two slots on each side. On the left were Gibbs' driver's license and a credit card, on the right some card he couldn't place and a picture. He didn't need to see the whole picture to know who the picture was of, it was Shannon and Kelly. He looked inside the tri-fold and found a few dollars and a picture. It was a picture almost identical to the one Jack had shown him a few nights ago of Gibbs' mother.

"I told you." Gibbs said as he went to grab the wallet.

Jerking the wallet out of reach, Tony shook his head. "I'm not done." He looked into the opening under the cards on the left and laughed. Glancing up at Gibbs, he gave the older man a suspicious glare. "That looks new."

Gibbs shrugged not admitting or denying the age of the condom.

"Moving on," Tony snickered before looking into the opening under the cards on the right. "Some cash."

"Yeah." Gibbs nodded. "No picture."

"Right." Pulling out the neatly folded ten dollar bill, Tony tossed the wallet down next to his own and went to hold up the bill when the hand grasped his wrist. His green eyes locked on blue and he sighed. "When I was a teenager and wanted to hide a note or picture in my wallet...I would fold it inside my emergency mad money." He used his free hand and opened the bill revealing a folded picture.

Releasing Tony's wrist, Gibbs leaned back against the counter watching as the younger man opened the picture. A surprised and confused look fell over Tony's features.

Tony's eyes shot up from the picture to Gibbs. "How did you even get this?"

Gibbs rubbed his chin. "You work for a Federal Agency that has camera's everywhere, except the elevator."

"No." Tony shook his head as he stared at the picture again. "You weren't even there when that happened."

"No, I wasn't."

"But you heard about it." Tony thought about it a minute, then chortled. "Did you actually ask someone in security to print this for you?"

"No."

"You couldn't have asked Abby, she definitely would have told me if you had asked her to print a picture of me shirtless from the bull pen security cameras."

"I'm not stupid enough to ask Abby for anything like that." Gibbs loved the woman like a daughter, but she was nosy, not in a bad way. She just worried about the people considered family.

"You're not gonna tell me are you?"

Gibbs slowly shook his head.

"Corporal Lance with three fiancées." Tony remembered the case they were working on when this happened. "McGee had blood on his shirt from the one fiancée, we needed her DNA. I took my shirt off and it gave it to him and I got a fresh one."

"Yeah."

Turning the picture over, Tony examined it then smiled at Gibbs. "This fold looks pretty worn."

"That's been there quite a few years."

"You need a new picture." Tony smiled.

Snatching the picture from Tony's hand, Gibbs folded it in half again and grabbed his wallet. "Kinda pathetic, carrying around a hidden picture of you."

"Gibbs." Tony laughed. "It's not like we were dating or married and you were hiding a picture of me because you were ashamed of us." The laughter stopped abruptly, when Gibbs' hand was suddenly gently clutching at the side of his neck.

"I would never do that to you." Gibbs' sighed. "Never."

Tony put his hand over Gibbs' and nodded. "I know you wouldn't."

"Okay." Gibbs took a deep breath. "Good."

"Is this one of your fears we haven't discussed yet?"

"It's not." When Gibbs went to pull his hand away, Tony's hand held it firmly in place.

"I've told you my fears, are you ever gonna tell me yours?"

Gibbs pressed a kiss to Tony's forehead. "Not tonight."

"Fine." Taking Gibbs' hands, Tony pulled the older man towards the bedroom. As much as he wanted to know why Gibbs had had such a strong reaction to what he had said, he knew not to push."Then I want at least a little sleep before we have to go to work."

"The bed?"

"It's more comfortable than the couch." Tony said as they reached the door. "Plus I put out a pair of sweats and a t-shirt for you."

"Thanks."

"And if you're good maybe I'll take my shirt off and show you the real thing." Tony laughed when he heard the deep growl and felt the arms latch on around his waist.


	10. Chapter 10

Thanks for waiting for this next chapter everyone, hopefully I am on the mend and can get back on track with writing.

Thank you so much to Srienia for working through my software issues. I apologizes if there are any mistakes, they are mine not Srienia's, my software has been buggy and isn't making some of the changes she inputs. Hopefully after this chapter that won't be an issue since I have new software.

Again, thanks for reading and for all the support, reviews and PM's.

He drove into the NCIS parking lot, pulled into a spot and cut the engine. Dropping his head back against the seat, he held up his cell phone, took a deep breath and called the number. It was answered after only two rings.

"Morning."

"Morning." He took a quick breath. "I'm at work, I'll see you tonight."

"Sure." Jack couldn't help but grin, his son was uncomfortable, just waiting for him to make a crass comment or joke about Jethro not coming home last night. "Have a good day."

"Yeah." Gibbs slammed the phone closed and rubbed his forehead. _This is bad. _He thought to himself. His father was just saving all the harassment for tonight. Climbing out of the car he walked toward the building, glancing around the lot as he went. He spotted Tony's car after a few long strides and smiled. This morning was the first time in over a decade Gibbs had wanted to stay in bed and call in sick to work. Cocooned in the warmth of Tony's twin bed, their bodies locked together in a tangled web of arms and legs, Tony's hot breath falling in heavy erratic puffs against his chest, and Gibbs was blissfully content. He stayed there in that blissfulness longer than he intended, unable to let it end. Finally, the need to pee won and he managed to extract himself from the younger man without waking him.

He made a quick trip to the truck for his spare bag, then back to the apartment to shower and dress. Shortly after, he was pulling into the diner for coffee and breakfast. It wasn't that he didn't want to be there when Tony woke up, in fact his heart ached when he walked out the door that morning, but he needed some time alone with his thoughts. In just a few days his relationship with Tony had completely changed and he was processing and working through it all, just like Tony. Although they had talked about Tony's worries and fears, he still hadn't admitted his own. He knew he would have to eventually, not just because Tony would demand it, but because he wouldn't be able to hide them for long.

Entering the building, he stepped up to the elevator and pushed the up button. The doors opened immediately, behind closed doors he took a deep breath. It was still early, the other agents weren't due in for another half hour which meant being alone in the bullpen with Tony. Running his hands through his hair, he blew out the deep breath he'd taken and rolled his shoulders. At work, nothing would change, it was still boss and DiNozzo...no matter how many times throughout the day he might want to order Tony into the elevator, shove the Italian against the wall and devour every inch of that sexy body. Shaking his head, he dispelled the image before his body could respond to the need it stirred within him.

The elevator stopped and the doors opened, when Gibbs walked out he was actually relieved to see not only Tony at his desk, but McGee tapping away at his keyboard. The less he was alone with Tony the better.

"Morning." Gibbs nodded as he made his way to his desk.

"Morning Boss." Echoed from the two Agents.

Turning on his computer, Gibbs willed himself not to look over at his Senior Field Agent because if he did last night and this morning would come rushing back to him again. His phone rang and he grabbed it on the first ring praying it was a case.

"Gibbs." Listening to the voice on the other end, he glanced over at the elevator when he heard the familiar ding.

Ziva emerged and walked slowly to her desk, Gibbs on the phone this early in the morning probably met a case.

"Gear up." Gibbs barked as he slammed the phone down. "Dead Petty Officer Anacostia Freeway."

Ziva was already back at the elevator, Gibbs just a step behind, Tony and McGee grabbed their gear and followed a moment later. Standing beside the open doors of the elevator he waited for Tony and McGee to enter, then stepped inside and stared straight ahead as the doors closed. The thought of having Tony in his arms again already invading his thoughts. He groaned to himself. _It's going to be a long day._

* * *

The car was a twisted wreck of metal, fiber glass, rubber and glass folded and tangled around a tree within a deep forested area. They had all seen it before, maybe the Petty Officer was drunk, maybe high, maybe he was just going too fast, or any one of the countless other scenario's, time would tell.

"Anything else you need from us Agent Gibbs?" The police officer asked as he approached.

"No, thanks."

"Wrecker will be here in about an hour, it's stuck in traffic." The officer paused. "Oh Agent David said to let you know they got a ride back to NCIS with the body."

Gibbs gave a nod in understanding and turned back to the wreckage. He knew the officer had left, he'd heard the footsteps walking away, then the car door and finally the car starting up and driving away. So when he heard the crackling of twigs behind him at some later point, he drew his gun and spun around in one smooth movement.

"WHOA!" Tony's eyes went wide and his hands went up as he stared down the barrel of the gun.

Gibbs relaxed his shoulders, then lowered his gun.

"I thought it would take at least a few weeks before you pulled your gun on me?" Tony grinned. "At least that gun." His eyes glanced down at Gibbs' cock then back up.

"What are you doing here?" Gibbs asked ignoring the comment as he holstered his gun.

Tony gave his boss a confused look. "You asked me to check the perimeter."

"I though you all rode back with Ducky and Palmer."

"Damn it." Tony scowled annoyed. "They just left me out here! I hate it when they do that! What if you had taken off too?"

"Then you'd have waited for the tow truck."

"Why is it taking so long for that?"

"It's stuck in traffic."

"Why are you still here? I would have thought you'd make the police stay with the car."

Gibbs shrugged.

"Thanks for the note." Tony never expected Gibbs to be the leave a note kinda guy and it wasn't some deep poetic verse. It was simple, to the point, but sweet, just like the man. _The Diner, coffee, thinking. Miss you already. Gibbs. _

Nodding, Gibbs took a deep breath and told his mind not to think about the fact they were alone, in a wooded area, with time to kill. His eyes met Tony's for a moment and a second later Tony was on him, capturing his lips and walking them backwards towards the nearest tree. His hands were already clawing over Tony's body, when his back made contact with the firm tree trunk and Tony smashed their bodies together. He'd lost all ability to think clearly or rationally the moment Tony's lips touched his.

Tony's tongue thrust its way between Gibbs' lips wanting to taste the coffee from the older man's mouth. After that first kiss against the car, it was Tony's favorite way to experience coffee and he just kept wanting more and more and more. His hands found their way to Gibbs' hips and ground their groins together drawing a low growl from the man. That's when he felt the hands on his face and Gibbs' lips were ripped away.

"Tony." Gibbs panted resting his forehead against the eager man.

"I don't care that its work hours or that it's a case." Tony spoke with conviction and resolve. "I needed to kiss you, it's just you and I, so I took advantage of the opportunity."

Gibbs' thumbs caressed Tony's cheeks. Funny, he didn't care anymore either. Didn't care about rule twelve, about it being work, he didn't even care if anyone saw them. All he cared about right now was Tony having demanded that kiss and having the man he loved back in his arms. He crushed his lips back down onto Tony's, his hand clutching at the back of Tony's head, forcing their lips even harder together.

They stood there, bodies and lips locked together, oblivious to the world around them until the need for air caused them to unwillingly part.

"I didn't expect that." Tony gasped for breath. "I expected the "we need to be professional at work" speech."

"Not today." Gibbs sighed struggling to catch his breath. The phone in his pocket blared to life, digging it out he opened it when he saw the caller ID. "Yeah Abs?"

Tony stood there watching Gibbs' face for the usual raised eyebrows or furrowed forehead, instead he got the dropped back head.

"We're on our way." Gibbs closed the phone, placed a quick kiss on Tony's cheek, then stepped away from the man. "We gotta go."

"What about the car? Can we leave it?"

Gibbs winked and tipped his head towards the road. "Tow trucks here."

Tony rolled his eyes. "I hate when you do that."

* * *

He dropped down into his desk chair and leaned back. It was after nine pm the next night and they were still running down leads. This case was never ending. Ducky had found suspicious bruising around the victims neck, looked like strangulation marks, but Ducky couldn't say for certain what had made the marks. That meant they had to investigate. One lead led to another, and another, and another. The Petty Officer had a house and a fiancée, plus an apartment and a girlfriend, never a good combination. Unfortunately, neither woman knew about the other, so no motive and both had an airtight alibi. Interview after interview, interrogation after interrogation and Tony and Ziva were picking up the Petty Officers ex-wives.

God he needed coffee. He heard the elevator open. Ziva, Tony and a very long legged, beautiful woman with blond hair and sea foam green eyes walked out of the elevator. The three of them paused momentarily at the bullpen as Tony walked over and sat a coffee cup on Gibbs' desk.

"Thought you might need this." Tony gave a sedated DiNozzo smile.

"I do." Gibbs gave a half smile as if doing or saying more would give away the fact he wanted to kiss Tony hard on the mouth.

Tony nodded and walked back to the two women.

Gibbs glanced over just in time to see the woman touch Tony's arm as she started to cry. Taking her elbow, Tony gently led her toward the conference room. He ran his hands down his face and leaned back in the chair. Maybe it was because he had been hiding his feeling about Tony for years, making sure not to look at his Senior Field Agent too long or too closely, not wanting to give away that he felt more than just friendship, but he was suddenly acutely aware of things he'd never notice before. Silly, mundane things like how Tony always took two consecutive sips of his coffee before putting it down or how the man stepped over the crack between the elevator and the floor as if he were a child afraid if he stepped on the crack he would break his mother's back. Then he noticed the alluring things. The way Tony would stand in front of McGee's desk, put his hands on it and lean forward giving Gibbs the perfect view of that tight muscular ass. Or the way Tony would push the chair away from his desk and lean back putting his crotch directly in Gibbs' line of sight.

But the thing Gibbs noticed most was how many times a day people touched Tony. He'd counted at least 34 times since yesterday morning. Of course twelve of those were handshakes, but the rest were a mix of touches. A few were like what he'd just witnessed, someone seeking comfort as they stumbled emotionally or a few men patting Tony on the back, but the rest...the rest were definitely out and out flirting or at least an attempt at flirting. It started with the female cop at the crime scene, then the secretary at the military base, next was the girlfriend, hell even the wife. She didn't touch Tony but she had definitely checked him out several times. After that the mail had been delivered by a beautiful young blond that smiled, winked and hung around Tony's desk longer than necessary, then several other women they encountered, and even a man that patted Tony's shoulder but kept his hand there just a few seconds too long, then let his fingers brush down Tony's arm. And those were just the touches Gibbs had actually seen. Tony never flinched at any of it, never reacted as if it bothered him or that he even cared.

Gibbs picked up the coffee and took a sip. He knew how hard that must have been for Tony not to respond, the man was the ultimate flirt. Tony had used that ability on countless occasions to pull information from a female suspect and he'd used it just as often to get the number of a beautiful woman they interviewed or met during a case. It seemed genetically programmed into Tony to flirt with any available woman that came across his path, definitely something that must have been inherited from Senior and it was one of those fears he hadn't yet discussed with Tony. He was a jealous man and not very good at controlling that jealousy. Plus he was sure, Tony wouldn't be able to continue to keep the flirting in check.

Blowing out a long breath, Gibbs groaned. He'd been able to ignore all the touching and flirting, even all the women because he told himself he had no right to care. How was he supposed to handle it all now they were...dating? He laughed out loud. It just seemed absurd to be dating a man you've loved for so many years, but then again, Tony never said he was in love with him. So he was dating the man he was in love with trying to make said man fall in love with him. Complicated was an understatement.

Pushing himself away from the desk, he grabbed his coffee and headed towards the elevator and Abby's lab.

* * *

"Tell me!" Abby bemoaned as she tugged on the sleeve of Tony's shirt.

"Why should I tell you?" Tony pulled his arm away, then held up his hand in front of her face. "And don't say because you can kill me without leaving any forensic evident."

She glared at him. "Fine." She folded her arms across her chest. "Come on, she's gotta be pretty special if she got you to come out and play on a school night."

"Did you ever think maybe I was at home watching a movie or sleeping?"

She shook her head. "No! The only reason you don't answer a call from me is because you're on a date."

"Really?" Tony folded his arms across his chest mirroring her position. "You honestly believe that?"

Her arms dropped away from her chest. "You mean you ignore my calls just because you don't wanna talk to me?" Her bottom lip jutted out into a pout.

He rolled his eyes and groaned. "It's not that I don't want to talk to you, it's just, sometimes I'm in the middle of something".

"Who were you in the middle of the other night?" The pout turned into an evil grin.

"No one." He grabbed her by the arms. "Now get back to work before Gibbs suddenly decides to appear." Spinning her around he shoved her towards the computer.

"Slave driver!" She snapped glaring at him over her shoulder and sticking out her tongue. "You're getting as bad as Gibbs."

"No one's as bad as me." Gibbs said strolled into the lab. "Tell me you've got something."

"I've got nothing." She sighed turning around and looking at all the evidence laid out on the table. "I mean I have things, but not the something I need."

"And what is it you need?"

"The something that made those bruises on Petty Officer Larson's neck, and nothing here did that."

Gibbs looked over at Tony.

Tony just stood there a moment, then saw Gibbs' eyes narrow and realize his boss was expected him to speak. "Ziva and I spoke to his ex-wife. Who he was married to for a total of eight fun filled days." Tony chuckled. "Someone's worse at marriage than you Boss."

Taking a step towards Tony, Gibbs watched as Tony scrunched up his shoulders and closed his eyes preparing for the head slap. When it didn't happen he slowly opened his right eye and peeked out at Gibbs. "Sorry boss."

Gibbs took a swig of coffee.

"We've been over both the house, the apartment, collected anything that could have been remotely possible for the bruises. This is everything and really we don't even think Larson was killed at either location so..."

Gibbs barked. "So?"

"So-" Tony pointed at the door. "I am going to go retrace the route again that Larson took this morning and figure out where he was killed." Forgetting that anything had changed between them, Tony merely turned to scurry away from his annoyed boss and there it was, the familiar head slap, but gentler than normal. He smiled to himself as he rubbed the back of his head and continued to walk out. "Thank you boss."

Leaning against the table behind him, Gibbs put his arms across his chest and looked at Abby.

"Gibbs I don't have anything if I do-" Her rant stopped when he shook his head.

"What's with the new mail girl?" He was curious that was all, at least that's what he told himself.

"Which new mail girl, we've hired a couple." Abby asked.

"Tall, blond, black streak on the right side."

"You mean Lydia."

"Lydia." He repeated

"Are you really asking?"

He nodded then saw the strange excited way Abby's eyes light up.

"Oh my God!" Abby almost screamed. "I got Lydia the job here and she is totally into you. I told her I thought you wouldn't be interested because she was too young, I mean she's totally not too young, she's thirty-two. Plus she saw you after you'd been working out in the gym the other day, you know-" She punched the air in front of her then started pacing. "After you were punching the bag and she said you looked all sexy covered in sweat. She's gotta thing for the whole sweaty man thing." Her hands went up and she grinned, "You'll love her, she's super freaky." Wiggling her eyebrows, she grinned. "But not to freaky, just freaky enough, not sleep in a coffin freaky, but try anything sexual freaky."

Gibbs' eyebrows went up and his hands fell away from his chest in shock. Okay this was not how this conversation was supposed to go.

"This is awesome if you were looking for something long term great, but she'd be cool with a one night stand, I mean she's TOTALLY into you. I mean REALLY into you. I'll give her your number, no wait." She stopped and turned to the desk, picked up a pen and scribbled the number on a post it note. Then she turned back around, slapped the number on the lapel of Gibbs' jacket and pointed at him. "You are old school. You should call her, she'll flip when she hears your voice." Again she wiggled her eyes. "She thinks your voice is all gravelly and sensual. She actually said you could probably give her an orgasm just by talking to her." She put her hands up. "That was probably too much information wasn't it?"

Gibbs nodded.

"Okay forget I said that. Just call her." Abby smiled happily.

"I'm not interest in Lydia." Although he was flattered and surprised that she was interested in him.

Her brow furrowed. "Then why did you ask?"

"I actually thought she was interested in Tony."

"Tony?" Now a look of confusion, then a laugh. "He's totally not her type, too young, too much of a pretty boy, not enough edge."

"And I'm edgy?" Gibbs had never been called edge.

"Oh yeah." Abby nodded and grinned. "You're the man in the white cowboy hat that always defeats the man in black."

He rolled his eyes with a chuckle.

"You act all tough and cool-" She hugged him around the chest. "But when it comes to us, your family. You go all soft and gooey."

Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed the top of her head.

"So no chance you'd go out with Lydia?" Abby asked her head still resting on Gibbs' shoulder.

"No."

"It was the whole voice orgasm thing right?"

"A little." He chuckled.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

Closing the file, Tony wanted to scream FINALLY, but didn't have the energy. They'd been on the case for close to fifty-two hours without sleep and he'd barely had a few hours Monday night with Gibbs. All he wanted now was to go home, crawl into bed, and sleep until he had to be back at work tomorrow. Well that wasn't all he wanted...

"Are you coming?" Abby asked as she and Ziva walked into the bullpen.

"Where?" Tony asked.

"Gibbs'. Jack leaves today so we're all going over for pizza."

"He leaves today?" He should have known that, why didn't he know that? Probably because he was too busy worrying about...other things. "And Gibbs is okay with this?" His eyebrow went up, he found it hard to believe Gibbs wanted a house full of people after a three day case and his father leaving.

Abby shrugged. "I don't know, Jack called me. Anyway, Gibbs is still with the Deputy Director."

"Right." God only knew how long Craig would keep Gibbs up there just yacking away.

"You have to come."

He looked at Abby. Of course he had to go, but not for the reason she assumed. Everyone knew he was close to Jack, not going would make everyone suspicious, and being tired after a long case was not an excuse. "I'll be there."

"We're going to change and then head over."

"Yeah, I'll do the same."

"See you in a little bit." Abby waved as they headed towards the elevator.

Tony glanced at his watch then leaned back in the chair. He wanted nothing more than to see Gibbs, but he'd prefer they were alone for a couple of reasons. There was of course the obvious, he just wanted to be alone with Gibbs, but there was another reason too. He'd noticed something over these last few days and it was bugging him, he needed to find out the cause.

* * *

Walking past MTAC, he stepped into the already open elevator and hit the floor he needed. The elevator started and he hit the emergency stop. The lights went out and the emergency lights kicked in as he leaned back against the railing on the wall. He rubbed his forehead as he took a few slow deep breaths. If Deputy Director Craig was in charge much longer Gibbs was gonna shoot someone, probably Craig. The man was just not prepared to do this job. The only positive thing that had come out of those wasted two hours was when Craig had told him to tell his team to take Friday off.

Gibbs glanced at his watch, already after five. If they were lucky his team was already in their beds sleeping. The mere thought of bed made him think of Tony. God what he would give to be curled around the warm firm body of the younger man. He chuckled. Knowing Tony he had gone home, climbed into bed and was currently passed out. His first thought was to head over there, use the key Tony had given him years ago and crawl into bed with Tony and sleep for days. Then he remembered what day it was.

"Damn it." He groaned. His dad was leaving tonight and had to be at the airport at eight thirty. Of course his dad would complain, Jack hated late flights. Flipping the elevator back on it roared to life then stopped and he walked off towards the bullpen surprised to see Ducky heading towards him. "Problem Duck?"

"Body, Wilson's team." Ducky held up a file. "You headed home?"

"Yeah." Gibbs sighed. "Finally."

"Can you let everyone know Mr. Palmer and I won't make it over?" Ducky added with a smile. "And tell Jack to have a safe trip."

Gibbs brow furrowed. "Everyone?"

The smile faded from Ducky's face. "You didn't know?"

"Know what?" Gibbs continued to scowl.

Ducky sighed. "Everyone's at your place for pizza and to say goodbye to Jack."

"Tony?"

"I believe so." It seemed like an odd question, but Ducky let it go.

"Dad likes having everyone there." Gibbs replied. His father was the social butterfly that always brought people together.

"Jack does enjoy a gathering." Ducky patted Gibbs' shoulder before hurrying away. "Have to run."

Gibbs made his way to his desk, switched off the computer, grabbed his coat, switched off the light, and headed towards the elevator.

* * *

Pulling into the drive, Tony climbed out of the car and headed up to the house. Like always, the front door was unlocked and he walked in, closing the door behind him. His eyes went wide as his brain kicked into gear. _Shit, shit, shit. Get out._ He turned the handle saying a silent prayer that he would be able to sneak back out before-

"Too late." Jack said walking down the hallway towards the front door.

Tony froze, his eyes closed as he cursed to himself. Between being tired, worrying about Gibbs' reaction to all of them being here when he got home, plus everything going on between them, he had simply pulled into the drive without thinking. It didn't even register that there were no other cars in the driveway, no cars along the curb, he was the first one here. Opening his eyes, he plastered on a smile and whirled around. "Hey Jack."

"Tony." Jack smiled and gave a nod. "Want a beer?"

"Oh God yes." Tony continued to smile like some lunatic. He followed the elder Gibbs into the kitchen accepting the beer he was handed. "Thanks." He twisted open the beer and downed half of it in one swig.

"Hard case."

Clearing his throat, Tony nodded. "Complicated."

"I'm sure you're all tired."

"Yeaaaaah." Tony knew were this was going.

Jack grinned. "Especially you and Jethro."

"Jack!" Tony pointed at the other man. "Don't."

"Don't what?" Jack chuckled.

"You know what!" Tony's eyes narrowed.

Jack shrugged nonchalantly. "I know that Jethro made a big fuss about the fact that he wasn't gonna sleep with you, yet he didn't come home Monday night."

"Nothing happened." Tony stated matter-of-factly. "We fell asleep on the couch, it was late, I told Gibbs he should stay."

"Sure." Jack nodded.

"We slept that was it."

Another nod.

Rolling his eyes, Tony balked. "Do you really wanna know about your son's sex life?"

Jack smirked.

Tony's eyes went wide. "That is not what I meant!"

"What did you mean?"

"There is no sex to talk about."

"Okay. So you don't wanna have sex with my son."

"Of course I wanna have sex with him!" Tony sounded offended. "It's Gibbs, he's ho-" He groaned as he pounded his fist against his forehead. "Damn you."

Laughing, Jack patted Tony's shoulder and made his way into the living room. Sitting down on the chair, he took a swig of his own beer and waited for Tony to join him.

"I walked right into that." Tony said dropping down on the end of the couch by Jack.

"You two actually talking about those fears you both have?"

Giving Jack a curious look, Tony wondered if Gibbs had said something to his father or if Jack had actually picked up on that. "We did, sorta."

"So you talked, he listened and he didn't tell you anything."

"Yeah." Tony shrugged a shoulder. "He's getting there, it always takes a little longer with Gibbs."

"That it does."

Tony cocked his head as he saw the look in Jack's eyes and understood what was behind all the jokes and teasing. He smiled softly. "You're worried about him?"

"I'm worried about you both." Jack leaned forward, elbows on his knees.

"You set us up, pushed us together." Tony shook his head baffled. "And now you're worried?"

"Of course I'm worried." Jack said in a huff. "It took me pushing you two together for you to get your heads out of your asses and see what was right in front of you. So excuse me if I don't have the greatest of confidence in the two of you."

"Point taken." Tony had to give that one to Jack.

Jack slid forward to the edge of the chair, took a deep breath, then locked eyes with Tony.

Following Jack's lead, Tony leader forward and listened.

"Here it is." Jack paused. "He loves you, you love him-" Tony opened his mouth and Jack waved his hand in front of them. "Don't even start. You know you do, you just haven't admitted it yet."

Tony's mouth slammed shut and he let Jack continue.

"That's the easy part."

"And the hard part?"

"Everything else." Jack smirked. "The good news is the two of you already know a lot of the crap you gotta put up with from each other."

"And the bad news?" Tony asked. There was always bad news.

"You already know a lot of the crap you gotta put up with from each other."

Tony laughed, that he completely understood.

"You've already been through life and death together, that creates a bond stronger than most marriages."

"Yes it does." Hell Tony and Gibbs had spent more time together than Gibbs had probably spent with all three of his ex-wives.

"Just remember you're different, you always have been to him."

"That's the second time you've told me that." Tony gave Jack a questioning look. "Why is that so important?"

"Because he's going to surprise you."

"And here I thought being in love with me was the biggest surprise."

Jack shook his head slowly. "Not even close."

At first Tony thought Jack was talking about the intensity that was Gibbs, but there was more.

"It's not just the intensity." Jack knew Tony had already gotten a taste of the ferocity, but it was nothing compared to what was to come. "He's a different man when he's in love."

"Shannon?" The word was like some secret magical incantation that everyone was afraid to speak. Rarely, did anyone have the audacity to say the name in Gibbs' presence unless they wanted his glaring wrath. Even when someone was brave enough to say the name when Gibbs wasn't present it was in a hushed tone. It was as if the magic of the name was so powerful, Gibbs would somehow still know it had been spoken no matter how far away he was.

Jack nodded. "She changed him."

"How?"

"She changed him here." Jack tapped the center of Tony's chest. "You've had the same effect on him."

"I haven't done anything." Tony somehow felt unworthy of the comparison Jack was making.

"But you have." Jack smiled. "You've given him the freedom to express the love he has for you and even though you haven't said you love him, you've at least given him the hope that you can." He shook his head. "And that is going to change everything...if you let it."

Tony nodded. Funny he'd thought the same thing that night on the couch. This wasn't some one night stand or a few weeks of wild carnal need, Gibbs was in love and he knew what that meant without Gibbs having to say it. Love for Gibbs was something deep, intense, seemly endless. Although he wasn't sure what exactly Gibbs wanted from someone he loved, in his heart he knew what it meant. It meant long nights together working on the boat. It meant cereal for breakfast at the table or pancakes at the diner. It meant telling everyone, friends and family, about the relationship. It meant celebrating birthdays and anniversaries with date nights and presents. It meant going to bed together and waking up in each other's arms, every day. It meant forever...it meant building a life together for the rest of theirs.

Jack snapped his fingers in front of Tony's face. "Don't start redecorating the house just yet."

Shaking his head, Tony gave Jack a puzzled look. "Redecorating, what?"

"He'll surprise you even more and when you least expect it, be ready."

"I will."

"Okay I've said my piece." Jack could see the wheels turning in Tony's head. "What's on your mind?"

"What do you mean?"

Chucking, Jack shook his head. "Something's on your mind?"

Tony let out a puff of air. "Just something I noticed the last few days."

"And what's that?"

"The way he looks at me." Tony didn't realize why he hadn't seen it before. "When it's just him and I or he knows no one can see, he looks at me with such-"

"Desire, need-" Jack paused. "Love."

Tony nodded.

"That bothers you?"

"No." Tony smiled happily. "Definitely not." Truth was that look usually scared the hell out of him. It was when a woman got that look that he quickly ended the relationship between them. With Gibbs, that look took his breath away and he couldn't wait to see that look in those steel blue eyes again. It was the other look that scared him. Slowly the smile was replaced by a somber expression. "It's the look he has when...when there's an attractive woman around."

Jack snickered. "Ah yes, jealousy."

"No." Tony shook his head. "That's not it."

Taken back, Jack's brow furrowed. "Then what?"

"I'm not sure." Tony still couldn't place that odd look in Gibbs' eyes "Maybe worry, regret."

"You do have a reputation with the ladies."

Tony didn't need to be reminded of that. "That reputation always precedes me, but Gibbs has to know that I would never-"

"I'm sure he knows." Jack gave Tony an understanding smile. "But that doesn't mean it doesn't bother him or that he doesn't worry about it."

"Worry would probably be an understatement. I'm not exactly long term relationship material." Tony ran his hands down his face. "Commitment issues, concerns about fidelity, he wouldn't be the first one to have those fears about having a relationship with me."

"He trus-" Jack's thought was interrupted by an enthusiastic Abby barreling in to the room.

"Hey you two!" Abby smiled walking in with an arm full of bags, Ziva just a step behind her. "Where's the pizza?"

"Right here." McGee said as he strolled in through the front door and into the living room carrying three pizza boxes. "And sorry to say, Ducky and Palmer got a body. Just got a text from Jimmy."

Abby's shoulders slumped and she pouted. "Are they gonna try and come later?"

"If it's not too late." McGee reassured her. "And Gibbs knows we're all here. Ducky ran into him."

"Gibbs won't care, we'll have fun." She said kissing Jack's cheek and then headed into the kitchen. "Who wants a beer?"

A chorus of 'I do's' rang up.

* * *

He heard the laughter the minute he pulled into the drive and cut the engine. Now standing on the porch just outside the front door, it was even louder. Reaching for the door knob, his hand froze in midair and his arm dropped to his side again. He stepped back until he made contact with the porch railing, then took a deep breath. His hesitation wasn't because of the people inside, he loved his team, they were family and any other time after any other case he would have welcomed them here. However, with everything going on between him and Tony, three days of not having a moment alone with the man, three days of no sleep, two hours stuck in an office with Craig, plus the last night of his father being here, it was all grating on him.

It would only be a couple hours, then he and his father would have to leave for the airport, he'd put Jack on a plane back to Stillwater, and finally home to his bed, or maybe just maybe he would find an excuse to show up at Tony's.

"I thought I heard a car." Abby smiled holding open the front door, the smile faded when she saw the odd expression on Gibbs' face. "Are you okay? Did something happen? Is someone hurt?"

Gibbs snickered and shook his head. "Everything and everyone is fine."

"Then why do you have that look on your face?" She asked as if still not believing him.

"Because I'm tired and hungry." He kissed her cheek as he squeezed by her and into the house. "There better be pizza left."

"There is, we saved some just for you." The worry disappeared as she hurried after him.

"Jethro." Jack smiled, happily surrounded by everyone.

"Hey Boss." Tony offered up with a grin. "Finally escaped the clutches of Everything is a Catastrophe Craig?"

Gibbs grunted, continuing to the kitchen to grab a beer.

"Pizza just for you?" Jack held open one of the pizza boxes.

"Thanks." Gibbs paused as he realized everyone had shifted one position to the right in the few seconds it took him to grab a beer. His father still sat in the chair, but now Ziva was sitting on the end by him, Tony in the middle and the far end was open for Gibbs. Abby and McGee were now sitting on the floor by on the side of the coffee table. Grabbing a piece, he took a couple big bites, and almost finished the slice before he even sat down. Dropping down on the couch he took the final bite and grabbed another as he listened to the conversations around him.

"You shouldn't skip lunch."

Looking towards the voice, Gibbs suppressed a smile at the hint of real concern for him in Tony's tone. He swallowed his last mouthful, picked up another slice and shoved half of it in his mouth.

With a roll of his eyes, Tony shook his head. "I might not eat healthy, but you barely eat one meal a day. You need to eat more and on a regular basis."

Gibbs glanced around as he finished chewing the mouthful of pizza, noticing that no one was paying attention to them, he kept his voice low. "There is something I've been hungry for, craving really." He watched as Tony's eye widened slightly, but the younger man recovered, quickly hiding his surprise. He licked his lips. "If I could have what I wanted, I would definitely have it on a regular basis."

Tony took a long drink from his beer, shocked by Gibbs' teasing with other people around.

Watching Tony's Adam's apple dance up and down as he swallowed, Gibbs shrugged. "Actually I'd have it a couple times a day if I had my way, for breakfast and definitely at work for lunch...maybe in the elevator."

Suddenly, Tony was coughing, trying desperately to swallow the beer stuck in his throat, He forced it down hard to prevent himself from spewing the liquid at Gibbs. His eyes watering, he continued to cough trying to catch his breath.

"Tony you okay?" Abby asked, her friend's coughing having made her stop in mid-conversation.

Tony nodded still coughing.

"You sure?" McGee asked.

"Yeah." Tony managed to mumble through another hacking fit. He looked up and saw all eyes staring at him. Gibbs' blue eyes twinkling with an ornery satisfaction. "I'm good." He said already standing up and heading towards the kitchen. Grabbing a bottled water from the fridge, he took a small sip to try and clear his throat. He sat the bottle down and put his hands on the counter out of sight of the others and took a slow deep breath.

"Sure you're okay?"

"I will be." Tony turned around to find a smiling Jack.

"I told you to be ready."

Tony felt a slight blush rise in his cheeks. "You heard that?"

"Not really, but I can put the pieces together by your reaction." Jack shook his head in disappointment. "I warned you."

"Yeah, but I mean, everyone's here."

Jack snickered. "And you thought that would stop him?"

Tony sighed his shoulders slumping forward. "Rule eight."

"And which one of Jethro's rules is that?" Jack asked with a grin. He had started to learn about his sons rules, but only knew a few.

"No, not Gibbs' rule eight. My rule eight."

"Which is?"

Tony folded his arms across his chest. "Never, ever, ever underestimate Gibbs."

"Sounds like an excellent rule." Jack chuckled. "And just how many of your rules have to do with Jethro?"

"Oh, there's a whole Gibbs subsection of the rules." Tony was breaking a few of his own rules because of all this. He picked up the water and took a long drink this time.

"You still thinking about that look?"

"A little." It was driving Tony crazy that he couldn't figure out exactly what was behind it.

"You're just gonna have to ask."

Tony nodded. "I'm just afraid I might not like the answer."

"I'm sure it's nothing as terrible as you're thinking."

"Yeah, probably not." At least Tony hoped not, because the scenarios that played out in his mind were not good.

"Tony, Jack come on." Abby bellowed from the living room.

"We better get back in." Tony smiled. "Or she'll come get us."

Strolling back into the living room, Gibbs looked up at Tony. "You aright?"

"Fine." Tony smiled as he slid by Gibbs slowly, his cock directly at face level, he stumble forward. Grabbing Gibbs' shoulder to steady himself, he looked down just in time to see Gibbs' hand claw into the arm of the chair. "Sorry." Tony tried not to smirk as he sank down into the couch beside his boss.

"Oh just wait, you will be." Gibbs mumbled under his breath.


	12. Chapter 12

Have a wonderful weekend all and thanks for all the support.

And as always, thank you to Srienia my wonderful Beta Reader for all her hard work and dedication.

** ##########**

"It didn't happen that way!" McGee protested, even though he knew it was pointless.

"It did, you just don't like to admit it." Tony laughed.

"At least I don't ogle every woman we come in contact with on a case."

"That's because you're too busy ogling the men." Tony shot back. _Okay, probably not the best come back given the circumstances._

"And what about that guy yesterday, the Petty Officer's brother?" McGee smirked. "He was definitely interested in you."

"Please." Tony rolled his eyes.

"Tony come on, he kept touching your shoulder and arm, and he couldn't stop smiling." McGee plastered a smile on his face. "And he was looking you up and down."

Abby's eyes and ears perked up with interest. "We all know women aren't the only ones that find our Tony irresistible."

Tony shrugged, hoping by not reacting someone would change the subject. He glanced over at Gibbs for support. There it was, that look. It wasn't even directed at him, instead Gibbs was staring at his beer.

"You have been different this week." Ziva interjected.

"You know she's right." McGee's eyebrow went up. "I haven't seen you take or even try to get a single number this week."

Ziva smirked. "Have you met someone?"

"Have you?" Tony asked watching the smirk fade from the woman's face.

Abby's eyes widened slightly. She knew Ziva wasn't ready to talk about her love life.

Jack cleared his throat and looked at Abby, then his watch.

"Is it time?" Abby asked sadly.

"Just about." Jack gave her a wink. It was definitely time for the conversation to change if nothing else. "I need a moment with Jethro."

"I saw your luggage by the door." Ziva smiled. "McGee and I will put it in the car."

"I'll start getting things cleaned up." Tony was already up and gathering all the paper plates and empty bottles.

"Dad we can talk in the car." Gibbs seemed confused by Jack needing a moment with him.

"No, we can't." Jack stood up. "Abby and Ziva offered to take me to the airport."

"Dad, come on you don't-"

Jack put up his hand and shook his head. "No, it was actually their suggestion. They said they got a few hours of sleep last night while you were still finishing up some work. They thought it would be safer for everyone if you went to bed."

"And Tony" _Here it comes._ Gibbs thought as he asked. "Does he need sleep too?"

Jack shrugged. "I don't know and I said you should go to bed, I didn't say anything about sleep." A toothy grin spread across Jack's mouth.

"Right. My mistake." Gibbs gave his father an eye roll.

Jack tipped his head towards the door.

Taking the hint, Gibbs stood up and followed his father towards the front door.

Jack spoke in his best fatherly tone while keeping his voice low so the young man in the kitchen wouldn't hear. "Don't blow this!" He pointed at his son. "Tony's told you why he's scared, you owe him the same. Keeping your mouth shut doesn't do either of you any good, got it?"

Clenching his jaw, Gibbs didn't respond.

"See, that's what I'm talking about." Jack glared at his son. "Whatever it is, it can't be worse that what he's already thinking."

Straightening his shoulders, Gibbs finally nodded.

"Good." Jack nodded, then said the name. "Ziva."

"What about her?"

"Whoever she's dating, it's serious." Jack continued. "Serious enough that she's afraid to tell you because she thinks you won't like him."

"Yeah, I know." Gibbs ran his hands down his face. He noticed it several times during the case. Ziva taking calls or making them, walking away to have a private conversation. Each time the call came or she made the call, he could see the happiness radiate from her. She was in love or at least falling fast.

"He was willing to go to Israel to be with her."

Gibbs' eyebrow went up. "That is serious."

"Does it worry you?" Jack knew Ziva saw Gibbs as a father figure and how important his approval was to her.

"No." Gibbs flashed back to how Ziva's last serious relationship ended. "She'll work it out. As long as he's trustworthy and loves her, I won't have a problem."

Jack saw the corner of Gibbs' mouth turn up slightly and he chuckled. "Yeah, once you scare the shit out of him with that whole staring him down."

Shrugging his shoulder, Gibbs grinned at his father.

A somberness settled over Jack. "I want you to be happy again Jethro and he makes you happy."

"That he does." Gibbs sighed.

"So what is it?"

Gibbs glanced at the floor, then back up as he took a deep breath. "I lied to him."

Jack's brow furrowed. _Lied?_ That was definitely not his sons character to lie to anyone, let alone someone he loved. "Fix it, fix it now. A lie is not the right way to start a relationship."

"I know." Gibbs rubbed his chin. "I'll take care of it."

"Make sure you do."

Gibbs hugged his father. "Thanks, for everything."

Hugging his son back, Jack sighed. "It will all work out, because you both want it to."

Stepping back, Gibbs smiled slightly. "It will."

"Tony?" Jack barked towards the kitchen.

"Jack." Tony grinned as he came out and bear hugged the man. "Have a safe a trip."

"I will and you remember what we talked about."

Tony nodded. He looked at Gibbs and asked seriously. "You okay to drive?"

"I only had one beer honey, I swear." Gibbs answered sarcastically.

"Ha, ha." Tony made a face.

"I'm not driving anyway."

Tony's brow furrowed.

"Abby and Ziva are taking dad to the airport."

"Oh." That caught Tony completely off guard and he wasn't sure what to say or do. "Um, okay."

Jack couldn't help but laugh. "Just keep cleanin' up." Shaking his head, he opened the door. "I'll text ya just so you know I got in safe."

Gibbs gave a nod.

Jack paused in the doorway."I'll see you in a week."

"Excuse me?" Gibbs said startled.

"Ducky invited me to stay with him in a week, he's on vacation."

"And you two are going to-"

"We have a few things planned."

"Really?" Gibbs smirked and shook his head. "This wouldn't have to do with Ducky dating Pauline, who has a very attractive sister."

"Could be." Jack shrugged stepping onto the porch. "But I'll be staying there and will be out of your hair." He paused and turned around. "I assume you'll have closed the deal by then."

Gibbs held up his hands. "Seriously?"

"You're a Gibbs, you should be able to bag him in another week."

"Bag him?" Gibbs snapped, pointing towards the car by the front curb. "Go!"

Following his father, Ziva was already sitting in the back seat, Abby and McGee talking by the passenger side door of Abby's car.

"We all set?" Abby asked.

"Ready." Jack gave her a wink.

"Deputy Director Craig told us to take the day off tomorrow." Gibbs heard McGee's deep sigh of relief. "So get some sleep."

"Night boss." McGee waved as he headed for his own car.

"And you." Gibbs kissed Abby's temple. "Be careful with him."

"Will do." She smiled happily planting a quick kiss on Gibbs' cheek before walking around the car to the driver's side.

"And you." Gibbs glared at his father. "Behave."

"With two beautiful women in the car? Not likely." His blue eyes twinkled as he climbed into the passenger seat.

Gibbs closed the door once Jack was settled then waved as the car pulled away.

* * *

Tossing the last of the empty bottles into the trash, Tony headed to the sink and washed his hands, grabbed the towel on the counter and wiped them off. He expected to have some time alone to figure out how to approach the Gibbs for a conversation and what exactly he was going to say. Instead now he only had a few minutes until Gibbs walked back into the house. Three days of not having a moment alone with each other would fuel the growing sexual tension between them and he wasn't sure he'd have the strength to stop it and ask what he needed to ask. But then again, he didn't think he'd be able to let things go any further with the constant worry. He paused sensing the man's presence in the room immediately. You didn't need to see Gibbs to know when he entered a room.

"Thanks for cleaning up."

"You're welcome." Tony's eyes closed when he felt the hand brush against the small of his back.

"Craig gave us the day off tomorrow." Gibbs' fingers started to dance their way around Tony's waist. "We can sleep late."

"Is that your way of asking me to stay?" Tony leaned back against the body behind him without a thought.

"I wasn't asking." There was no option here. After three days, there was no way Gibbs was going to let Tony walk out that door.

"So there's nothing I could do that would make you want me to leave?"

"Nothing." Gibbs pressed a kiss to Tony's neck.

Taking a slow deep breath, Tony settled into Gibbs, embrace then spoke. "I noticed something these past few days."

Gibbs gave a mumbled um hmm.

"The way you look at me when-"

"I try to reserve that look for when I know we're alone." Gibbs spoke between kisses.

"I'm not talking about _that_ look." The lips left Tony's neck and he knew Gibbs realized where he was going with this. "It's the look you get whenever um, a woman is around and shows interest in me."

Every muscle in Gibbs' body tensed.

Tony felt the tension in the older man's body and the hand around his waist slip away. "Not exactly the reaction I was hoping for from you." He turned around and was met by the steely blue eyes. "What do you think I'm gonna do?" He asked slightly annoyed. "Grab a quickie in the broom closet with some woman?"

"No." Gibbs balked through clenched teeth."That's not it."

"Then what is it, because you get this look like-" Tony paused still wishing he could place the emotion behind the look. "I don't know what, but it's dark, painful and it's scaring me."

Gibbs thought he hid it, he tried to, but the reason for that look was eating away at him

"I know I'm not exactly the poster boy for committed serious relationships, but do you really think I would-"

"I know you would never do that." Gibbs said as he backed away.

"Right." Tony chuckled angrily. Gibbs hasty retreat wasn't exactly reassuring.

Gibbs paused in mid step knowing the signal his backing away was giving off.

"I need to know." Tony clutched at the counter behind him. "No, I deserve to know. If this is one of your fears, we need to talk about it."

Gibbs sighed running his hands through his hair. "Nineteen times a day."

Expecting more, Tony waited, when no further explanation followed. He asked. "Nineteen times a day what?"

"Nineteen times a day someone touches you, mostly women." Gibbs paused. "And that's actual flirting touches."

Tony face contorted into a perplexed look. "You counted how many times people touch me?"

"And that's just what I saw and not counting the handshakes and pats on the shoulders."

"Wait." Tony waved his hands in the air and repeated."You _counted,_ how many times people touched me?"

"I know." Gibbs knew how it sounded. "It's ridiculous, obsessive, stupid, and it shouldn't mean anything."

"You're right it's stupid." Again Tony's imagination ran wild as to what could be behind the look. "So why does it mean something to you?"

"Because it just reminds me that I lied to you."

Tony's mouth fell open. "You mean a lie lie, not a little white lie like those pants don't make your ass look big. You're talking about a lie, like this is gonna hurt lie?"

Gibbs shrugged."I don't know how you're going to take it. A lies a lie isn't it?"

"No, it's not. The picture of me in your wallet, that was cute endearing lie." Tony blew out a breath. "I know those brown pants make my ass look big, even when everyone tells me they don't, that's a polite white lie. YOU lying is gonna hurt, because you don't lie to me, even about those damn pants."

"Those pants do make your ass look big." Gibbs wanted it to be funny to break the tension.

"What did you lie about?" Tony asked folding his arms across his chest.

_Okay not funny._ Gibbs steadied himself. "The other night on the couch, when I promised you that-"

"That I wouldn't lose you or your friendship." Tony felt the pain clutch at his chest.

"I should have never promised you that." Gibbs voice dropped to a whisper and cracked with emotion. "Because I can't keep it, because now-"

Tony believed he knew exactly what Gibbs was going to say. It would go something like-_ I __can't keep that promise because I__ don't believe you want or could even have a real long term relationship, with anyone let alone, me, a man. There are too many temptations for you. _"Just say it."

"Because now I've let myself love you and-" Gibbs said the L-word for the first time. "I know how right it feels. I've had you in my arms, kissed you, and I want more." He shook his head. "I could never stand to see you with someone else." His hands balled into fists at his side, his knuckles white as the blood rushed from his fingers. "I couldn't work beside you every day, still wanting you and knowing I couldn't have you anymore."

Swallowing hard, Tony waited for the rest.

"It's not about trusting you or worrying about your ability to be faithful." Gibbs knew Tony cared enough not to hurt him in that way. If the relationship wasn't working Tony would respect him enough to end it. "It's about me lying and what happens if you walk away from this...because I could never deal with seeing someone else with their hands on you or even knowing someone else had their hands on you."

Okay, so this wasn't about him, well not in the way Tony thought. This was about Gibbs' fear of losing him, the fear that he would walk away. The whole idea that someone loved him that much should have scared the shit out of him, should have made him want to run for the door, so his reaction surprised even himself. He lunged forward smashing his mouth down on Gibbs'.

The force of the attack caused Gibbs to stumble backwards, unclench his fists and crush Tony in his embrace. Even given his surprise, his lips eagerly kissed back, his mind and body remembering how desperate they were for the younger man. It didn't last long enough, it would never be long enough, he thought as Tony's lips gradually slipped away.

Eyes still closed, lips still tingling with the force of the kiss, Gibbs took a slow deep breath then blew it out and opened his eyes to find sparkling green staring at him. He shook his head. "That wasn't the reaction I expected."

"It wasn't the reaction I thought I would have." Tony bit at his bottom lip. "Did you make that promise because you thought I'd walk away from this if you didn't?"

Gibbs gave a slight nod.

"That was only part of it." Tony could tell by the slight nod and the look in Gibbs' eyes there was definitely more.

Gibbs normally unbreakable stare faltered momentarily. "I figured given some time I could make you love me."

"You can't make someone love you. You of all people should know that." Between Gibbs' three divorces and all the cases they'd worked involving happy couples, scorned lovers, and stalkers, they all knew forcing love, hoping you could change someone's mind, never worked.

"Yeah." Gibbs sighed. Three failed marriages to women that tried to make him love them were proof trying to make someone love you didn't work. "But I can't exactly think rationally when it comes to you."

"Well let me be rational for both of us." Tony's green eyes bore into Gibbs'. "You can't make me love you." He felt Gibbs' body tense and the hands around him starting to fall away. "Because I already do."

Gibbs felt the air rush from his lungs, his hands that had started to leave Tony's body, reached the younger man's hips and latched on tightly.

Tony took Gibbs' face with both hands. "I love you." Clearing his throat, he took a deep breath. "And I've loved you longer than I could ever admit to myself."

"Are you sure?"

"Hmm." Tony furrowed his brow. "I don't know, maybe I better rethink this."

Gibbs glared at the man he loved...the man that loved him.

Laughing, Tony rolled his eyes. "I'm sure." His hands caressed down Gibbs' chest. "Absolutely sure."

Leaning forward to capture Tony's lips, Gibbs was stopped by the strong hands on his chest.

Tony gave Gibbs a smug smile with a raised eyebrow. "Don't think just because I love you, you're getting in my pants."

Gibbs smirked, his hands drifting around the younger man to Tony's ass. "I've already been in your pants." He squeezed hard and jerked Tony forward.

That constant ache of sexual need between them and the new contact between their bodies made Tony moan, his hand clawing at Gibbs' chest.

Their bodies still crushed together, Gibbs growled as he propelled them away from the counter and shoved Tony against the nearby wall. The younger man's body made a thud as his back made contact and he made a huffing sound as the air rushed from his lungs. Gibbs' lips found Tony's again as he fought to unbutton Tony's shirt desperate to savor the feel of the man's skin under his touch. He somehow managed to open Tony's shirt without ripping it apart and hissed into the kiss as his fingers and palms made contact with bare skin.

Tony's head fell back against the wall, breaking the kiss. Gibbs' lips refused to stop, descending to Tony's throat then chest. He whimpered as Gibbs' tongue flicked out licking at his left nipple. Clutching at the back of Gibbs' head, Tony held the older man in place and warm lips greedily latched on to his nipple. "God yes." Tony groaned.

Driven by his own need and the wonderful sounds Tony was making, Gibbs' hands continued their exploration of Tony's torso while his mouth moved to Tony's other nipple eliciting more enticing noises from the younger man.

Tony's body was on fire, yet he shivered as Gibbs' hands criss-crossed over his chest and stomach. Even the warm kisses working their way back up his throat made him quiver as if cold. Gibbs' hands slipped under his shirt and pushed it back off his shoulders and it crumbled to the floor.

"Come with me." Gibbs murmured as his lips reached Tony's ear and he took the younger man's hand. Slowly they walked towards the living room, pausing in front of the couch. He released Tony's hand then spoke calmly and softly. "Take off your shoes."

Using the toe of his left foot behind the heel of his right, Tony slipped off one shoe then repeated the process on the other. Standing there under Gibbs' hungry gaze, Tony's chest rose and fell in quick shallow breaths.

Reaching out, Gibbs' fingers brushed across the button of Tony's pants and he smiled to himself when it caused the younger man to tremble. He glanced down at the ample bulge straining against the zipper of Tony's pants, then back up as he popped the button.

Again Tony's body responded as his mind and body tried to rationalize the flood of emotions he was experiencing; excitement, desire, overwhelming need...and that ever present sliver of trepidation. Jesus, why was that feeling still there?

"Tony." Gibbs whispered, letting his fingers play with the zipper tab struggling to contain his growing desire. "I want you." He paused with a sigh. "I want to taste you, make you come...but only if you're ready."

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Tony's mind had an internal debate with his body. His mind still trying to comprehend the undeniable desire and need his body had for the man. It seemed incomprehensible how much he loved, wanted and needed Gibbs, not just sexually but the overwhelming feeling to just be with the man.

When no response came, Gibbs gradually slid the zipper down on Tony's pants, the click click click of the teeth parting echoing like thunder through the silent room.

Tony's hips involuntarily rocked forward giving Gibbs his wordless consent. Once the zipper stopped, Gibbs' fingers traced across the waistband of Tony's pants.

"Stop me now if you don't want this." Gibbs growled his fingers now clutching the fabric at Tony's hips ready to jerk the pants down over the younger man's hips.

Again there was no verbal response, only Tony's hands pushing Gibbs' away as he slid his pants down over his hips then shimmed causing them to puddle at his feet. Lust filled blue eyes leered down his naked body and back up. The sheer wanton look making Tony shudder.

"Gorgeous." Gibbs sighed breathlessly, fighting back the desire to shove Tony down and devour the man with unmet need. Instead he moved Tony till the man's calves touched the edge of the couch and gave a slight nod.

Understanding, Tony sat down, the coolness of the couch a welcome sensation against the warmth of his body. He watched mesmerized as Gibbs dropped to his knees, their eyes locked.

Gibbs' hands caressed over Tony's knees, then gently pushed them apart, his hands then moved up the strong thighs.

Tony's legs widened further as if compelled by Gibbs' touch, his cock twitching with want when the calloused fingers stopped before touching him. His hands clawed at the couch cushions as he anticipated the touch of Gibbs' fingers to his awaiting cock. He jumped when instead of moving his hands, Gibbs' lips dropped kisses to the inside of his left thigh, then the right. Whimpering, Tony's head fell against the back of the couch as his hips rocked up slightly trying to urge Gibbs' forward.

Gibbs' hands danced over Tony's hips as his lips left Tony's thigh and he stared down at the cock before him. Tony's cock was beautiful, average length but heavy and thick. He'd loved how heavy it felt in his hand that night on the couch in Tony's apartment. Its thick heaviness made it bend towards the younger man's stomach, but its thick base keep it from making contact. The pronounced vein underneath made Gibbs' lick his lips with longing. Unable to stop himself, the tip of his tongue pressed against the base of the vein then slowly licked its way up.

"Fuck!" Tony cried out as the pleasure traveled down his cock and coursed through his body.

Needing more, Gibbs again licked up the underside of Tony's cock, this time letting his tongue flick across the head and taste the pool of precum there.

Tony's mouth fell open in a silent roar as he tensed his stomach muscles to stave off the need.

Acidic, but with a hint of sweetness, that was the taste of Tony. It instantly made Gibbs want more and he licked greedily at the head of Tony's cock desperate to consume every last drop of Tony's essence. His control continued to falter as he relished in the erotica sounds that Tony made. More and more, that was what he wanted. More of everything that was Tony. Wrapping his lips around the head of the younger man's cock he sucked gently, then harder drawing grunts from his lover. Consuming more of Tony's cock, Gibbs moaned taking more and more until his mouth reached the base.

Still unable to speak, Tony continued to whimper and moan while Gibbs' started to work up and down.

Gibbs felt the body under him tense again, realized Tony's hands were still clutching the couch, and his hips were motionless. _This wasn't right_. Reluctantly he let Tony's cock fall from his lips and gazed into green eyes.

It took a moment, but Tony's head came up and he met the stern gaze of the blue eyes. "What's wrong?"

Letting his hands caress up Tony's thighs again, Gibbs felt the tight muscles contract even more under his touch. He straightened his back and pushed his thighs as close to the couch as possible. "Do you know how much I want you, want this?"

Tony nodded.

"I've wanted to suck your cock for years. I've had so many fantasies and dreams about it, I've lost count."

"Then why did you stop?" Tony panted.

Gibbs glanced down at Tony's hands clutching the couch, then back up.

Tony slowly uncurled his fists from the cushion feeling the blood rush back to his fingers.

"I'm positive you are never this passive during sex, especially not a blow job." Gibbs sensed Tony holding back.

Releasing a long slow breath Tony groaned as he ran his hands down his face. _Gibbs was right, Gibbs was always right._

"Stop behaving like someone you think I want you to be."

"It's just that-" Tony let the sentence hang there unfinished.

"I do not want some passive version of you." Gibbs knew how everyone saw him; always in control, the alpha male, but he had no problem with giving up that control to the right person. He wanted an equal, someone that could stand up to him, and part of the reason he loved Tony was because he knew Tony was that person. The man had proven countless times that he was willing to stand up to him when necessary.

Tony ran his hands through his hair. "I guess I just had this...idea in my head of what it was going to be like with you and it was you-"

"Taking control, demanding this and that from you, taking what I want?"

"Yeah." Tony sighed.

"Is that what you want?" Gibbs shrugged. "If it is, I can do that, but it's not fair to either of us."

Tony suddenly felt over exposed and wished he had a blanket to cover himself.

"I can suck your cock while you clutch at the couch and sit there motionless, moaning and groaning, and it will be good." Gibbs shook his head. "But it won't be great and it won't be what it should be, because you'll be holding back and we'll both know it."

Tony couldn't help but laugh. "I've never had anyone be concerned about giving me a good instead of great blow job."

Taking a deep breath, Gibbs nodded. "It's not just about that."

"I know." It was so much more than that and Tony knew it.

"I know this is new to you and I will gladly take the lead for now, but I won't let you behave differently because you think it's what I want, when it's not." Leaning forward, Gibbs' lips brushed against Tony's.

"So how do you think I usually behave?" Tony may have some preconceived notions of what Gibbs wanted or expected that were wrong, but maybe Gibbs did too.

"Well," Gibbs' hands started to massage Tony's thighs. "I'm pretty sure you normally aren't such a passive participant."

Tony shook his head.

"And you're usually rocking your hips." Gibbs' hands moved up Tony's thighs as Tony's hips started to thrust up.

Tony felt the cooling embers start to grow into a full fledged fire again. "More of a thruster actually, at least once my cock is down your throat."

Gibbs let his fingers graze up the underside of Tony's cock pulling a hiss from the younger man. "And I hope you don't just ball your fists into the couch when you get a blow job."

Another head shake.

"And I'm positive you're more vocal when someone has their mouth around your cock." Gibbs loved hearing his lover tell him exactly what they wanted, what they liked, how good it felt.

Tony nodded. "Oh, I am."

"And I really hope you like to make it last as long as possible." Gibbs definitely wanted this to last.

"God, I definitely do." Tony sighed.

"Then tell me what you want?" Gibbs whispered.

Tony's hand captured the side of Gibbs' neck in a tight grip. His green eyes boring into blue. "Suck my cock." Tony growled. "Make me come."

The blue eyes turned almost black with lust and without a word Gibbs' wrapped his lips around the head of Tony's cock gently sucking, then licking at the slit.

"Fuck yes." Tony barked, his hand combing through the soft gray hair on the back of Gibbs' head. "More."

_Gladly._ Gibbs thought as his lips slid down Tony's cock taking all if it. He stayed there a moment, the hard cock deep in his throat, then drew back up over Tony's length. The hand in his hair stopped moving, but remained resting on the back of his head. Over and over, he repeated the process, continuing the painfully slow rhythm. Even though he wanted to go faster, Gibbs refused to go there, wanting Tony to demand it.

Watching Gibbs' head bob up and down over his cock, Tony basked in the unhurried pace for awhile, his body staying in a blissful state of arousal without putting him on the edge. It felt so good to just enjoy it, knowing Gibbs didn't want him to rush. He wanted to let it go on and on, but when Gibbs' hand tenderly squeezed his balls, he thrust up helplessly. "Oh fuck yes!" Tony keened, immediately feeling the want and need intensify. "So good." His hand knotted in Gibbs' hair. "Faster!"

Gibbs didn't need to be told twice. He worked faster over Tony's cock, no longer pausing at the base, but just creating a frantic pace, feeling Tony's cock twitch and pulse. Squeezing Tony's balls again, his lover thrust up, shoving his cock further down Gibbs' throat.

Hearing Gibbs moan at the action, Tony lost control. Both hands on Gibbs' heads he impaled the man over and over again, slamming Gibbs down on his cock with each upward thrust of his hips. "You like that?" Tony growled receiving another muffled moan in answer. The world around him started to spin, his body trembled. His heart was going to explode, he knew it, they would find him dead his heart having exploded from his chest, but he'd have a euphoric smile on his face.

This was what Gibbs wanted, Tony in control taking what he wanted, giving into it. His cock pressed painfully against the zipper of his pants begging to be freed from its uncomfortable confines. God, he felt as if he'd come just from sucking Tony off. Tony's balls drew up and tightened, his lover was close, so close.

Eyes closed, head thrown back, body tense, Tony held Gibbs' head, keeping Gibbs' mouth locked around his cock as he screamed some incoherent string of sounds and words as he came. It was hard and fast and seemed to go on and on.

Stream after stream of come hit the back of Gibbs' throat and he swallowed every last drop.

Completely spent, Tony's body melted into the couch, his hands releasing Gibbs' as they slumped to his sides. Body covered in sweat, his breathing quick and shallow, he shivered uncontrollable. A second later he groaned as his cock slipped from Gibbs' mouth and the cool air made contact. He wanted to speak but couldn't move. Then he felt the soft warm blanket settle against his body and sighed.

"Sleep."

The word whispered across Tony's ear and at first he thought about listening to the request.

Gibbs went to pull back but stopped when a hand latched onto his arm.

Tony's green eyes opened and met Gibbs. "I wanna go to bed, with you." He sighed. "And sleep wrapped in your arms."

A smile slowly pulled at the corners of Gibbs' lips and he nodded.

Standing up, Tony wrapped the blanket around himself and took Gibbs' hand leading him towards the stairs.


	13. Chapter 13

Standing beside the bed, bedside light turned on, Tony dropped the blanket to the floor and started unbuttoning Gibbs' shirt. "No clothes tonight, I want you naked against me."

Gibbs gave a little nod. There would be no argument from him.

Reaching the last button, the shirt fell open and revealed the large bulge still present in Gibbs' pants. Tony stared at Gibbs crotch for a moment then looked up. "You really enjoyed sucking my cock didn't you?"

"Yes."

Tony unbuckled Gibbs' belt, popped the button, then gently slid the zipper down over Gibbs' cock. "You were right."

"About what?" Gibbs suppressed a moan as Tony pushed the pants off his hips.

"The difference between a good and a great blow job."

Gibbs' pants hit the floor and he stepped out of them kicking them away.

"These have to go too." Tony tugged the boxers down and Gibbs' cock sprang free. His eyebrow went up. "Impressive." He let his fingertips dance up Gibbs' thigh.

Sloughing off his shirt, Gibbs willed himself not to reach out, grab Tony and throw him to the bed. He still wasn't sure what Tony wanted right now.

Tony leaned in as if to kiss Gibbs on the lips, but then brushed his lips against Gibbs' cheek before whispering in the older man's ear. "Get into bed...please."

Evidently this was about sleep. Gibbs took a deep breath, then walked around to the other side of the bed, laid down on his back and pulled the cover up to his waist.

Climbing into the bed, Tony laid there on his side staring at Gibbs.

"You okay?" Gibbs asked seeing the unfamiliar look in Tony's eyes.

Without a word Tony nodded then reached out and pulled the blanket slowly down off of Gibbs' body. His eyes lazily skimmed down Gibbs' naked body taking in the vision before him.

Gibbs' cock twitched under the gaze. The bed shifted as a knee parted his legs and Tony straddled his thigh. Staring up at the man he loved, the back of Gibbs' fingers brushed against Tony's cheek. A second later Tony's lips captured his and he crushed his lover against him. It felt so good, skin to skin, their bodies entwined, he would never get enough of having Tony in his arms, in his bed, in his life. This was everything he had waited for his entire life.

Tony had never experienced such a brutal and savage kiss. It was as if all the air had left the room causing the kiss to become all teeth because their lips were so dry and the breath they shared was the only sustaining force between them. He could feel his lips tingle and ache, his lungs burning desperate for more air, but he didn't care he didn't want it to end.

Desperate for air, Gibbs tried to pull back, only to have Tony chase him unwilling to let the kiss end. It took him putting his hand on Tony's chest and pushing back for him to finally rip their lips apart. Panting frantically trying to take a breath, Gibbs stared up at the younger man above him. Tony's lips were red and swollen, eyes dilated to almost solid black haloed by only a sliver of green, face flushed and chest rising and falling in quick shallow breathes. It was the most beautiful erotic thing Gibbs had ever seen. Add to that the feel of Tony's hard cock lying heavily against his thigh and Gibbs wanted to come.

Holding the gaze, Tony brushed his thumb over Gibbs' bruised lips and sighed when the warm tongue licked at his thumb.

For the second time, Gibbs saw an unusual look in Tony's eyes, something just beneath the desire.

Sitting up, Tony looked down at Gibbs as his fingers tentatively reached out and brushed across the other man's stomach.

Involuntarily, Gibbs' eyes closed as he enjoyed the gentle touch. The fingers skimmed over his stomach then quickly scanned up and over his chest, then back down to his stomach. As quickly as the touch started it disappeared, Gibbs' eyes were about to open, when suddenly the touch returned, this time less tentative and more demanding. Two strong hands now moved purposely over his torso, the touch now firm, kneading the flesh and muscles before moving further along. Gibbs moaned as the hands took their time exploring the landscape of his body, learning every minute piece of him, and seemingly trying to memorize the feel and sensation of it all. This was about discovery and Gibbs would gladly give Tony all the time he needed.

Tony's thumb rubbed across Gibbs' nipple, felt it harden and heard the almost growling hiss of approval. Instantly one thought entered his mind. _He wanted to hear Gibbs make that sound again._ Repeating the motion over Gibbs' other nipple the hiss turned into a low guttural growl and the older man's back arched into the touch.

The hands left Gibbs' chest and his arms were gently pushed above his head. His fingers immediately wrapped around the rungs in the headboard. Desperate for more, Gibbs watched and waited. Tony's head dipped down and he felt the rough tongue lick its way up his chest stopping when it reached his sternum. A second later he was moaning again as Tony's warm lips sucked at his nipple, then the other drawing an endless stream of moans and groans from deep inside him. It was when the licks turned to gentle nibbles that the sounds turned to words. "Fuck Tony!"

Again Tony wanted to hear more and moved on to see what other sounds Gibbs would make. He kissed across Gibbs' collar bone, then back to the man's throat nipping at the flesh hearing mumbled grunts and whines.

Gibbs grasped onto the head board tighter when the nips turned to a gentle bite making him growl. Suddenly Tony's hands, lips and tongue were exploring every inch of his upper body. Everywhere Tony touched him seemed to leave a permanent mark on his body, a mark that would forever brand him as belonging to the younger man and that was exactly what he wanted. Never had he wanted someone as much as he wanted Tony.

Tony nibbled his way up Gibbs' jawline to the curve of the older man's ear. "I love the sounds you make."

The words made Gibbs throw his head back and arch up.

"You feel so different."

"Different how?" Gibbs panted.

"Your body is hard lines and muscles-" Tony's hands caressed over Gibbs' shoulders then down his chest combing through the gray hairs on Gibbs' chest. "Coarse hairs and you're-

"What?"

"This combination of-." Tony sighed his hands gliding down Gibbs' body, his fingertips playing in the hairs above Gibbs' cock. "Hard and soft, gentleness and roughness...and it's amazing." His fingers brushed over the underside of Gibbs' hard cock.

Snarling, Gibbs' hips thrust up desperate for more of Tony's touch.

"And you taste like musk and old spice." Tony leaned forward and inhaled deeply. "God it's sexy." His hand engulfed Gibbs' cock and the man trembled under him. He made one long slow stroke over Gibbs' length then stopped.

"Tony!" Gibbs groaned. "Please." Clenching his jaw, Gibbs struggled to steady the unbearable need. If Tony kept up this agonizing pace, he'd come before it really began.

Rubbing his thumb over the head of Gibbs' cock, Tony smile to himself at the animalistic sound that tore from the older man. Another thought raced through his lust filled mind. As much as he loved the sounds Gibbs made, he wanted to be the only one to ever hear them. The only one that ever touched Gibbs in a way that would bring forth those sounds. Tightening his hand around Gibbs' cock he stroked up then down creating a lackadaisical pace.

Leaning down, Tony's lips grazed Gibbs. "Are you ever gonna grab something other than that head board?"

Looking up at Tony, Gibbs' eyes narrowed. Both hands shot out and latched onto the sides of Tony's face.

Tony's mouth fell open in surprise and he shivered at the wanton need glaring up at him. The look made something inside him snap and his lips smashed down onto Gibbs' in another merciless kiss. His hand around Gibbs' cock, their lips locked in an embrace and it still wasn't enough.

Gibbs felt the hand clawing at his ribcage, clawing as if trying to get inside him. God he wanted that too. His own hands left Tony's face and found their way around his lover's body scratching and tearing at the flesh on Tony's back. Then action caused the hand around his cock to tighten and stroke frantically over his length. Gibbs roared, severing the kiss and bucking into Tony's hand.

"Jethro." Tony hummed into Gibbs' ear. "I wanna feel you come."

Gibbs fingertips gouged into Tony's shoulders, his eyes closed and he threw his head back as he let the overwhelming need take over. He felt the sting of Tony's teeth on his exposed throat and cried out the one name he had always wanted to scream. "TONY!"

Tony screamed silently into Gibbs' flesh, his teeth still embedded in Gibbs' throat. He felt the cock in his hand explode, felt the release running down between his fingers until finally the cock went limp in his hand.

The hand left his cock and Gibbs felt the weight of Tony's body crash down onto him, but he didn't care. His body and mind were still lost in the blissful sexual haze. They lay there, minutes hours, he wasn't sure until soft kisses against his shoulders started to urge him back from the blissful haze. He sighed as his fingers combed through Tony's hair.

Rising up, the hand slipped away and Tony looked down at the man beneath him. He rolled off Gibbs, climbed out of bed and headed towards the bathroom.

Leaning up on his elbows, Gibbs listened as the water ran in the sink for a few minutes, then shut off.

Tony walked back into the room wash cloth in hand and sat down next to Gibbs.

Gibbs shivered as the cool cloth made contact with his stomach, then cock and thigh. Once done Tony tossed it into the hamper towards the end of the bed.

Tony sat there beside Gibbs, his fingers playing with the hairs on Gibbs' chest.

Grabbing Tony's wrist, the younger man looked up at him."That's the third time tonight I've seen that look in your eyes." Gibbs took a deep breath and let it out. "You asked what was behind my look earlier, now I'm asking you the same question."

"It still surprises me."

"What does?"

"How much you love me." Tony let out a heavy breath. "The way you look at me like, like I'm the most important thing in the world."

"You are, to me."

"No one's ever looked at me that way." Tony shook his head. "No one."

"Do you want me to stop?"

Tony's brow furrowed in shock. Then he saw the smirk curling up at the corner of Gibbs' lips. He jerked out of Gibbs' grasp and jumped on top of the man. "Ass!" Tony snapped as he pinned Gibbs' wrists above his head.

Laughing, Gibbs pretended to struggle. "Well if you don't like it-"

"Stop!"

"I'll never stop." Gibbs laughter faded and the grip on his wrists loosened. In one swift movement, he broke free and threw Tony down on the bed and stared down at the stunned man. "I can't stop."

Tony's hands cupped Gibbs' face.

"I'll never stop looking at you that way, because I'll never stop loving you." Gibbs paused. "And that I can promise you."

Biting at his bottom lip for a moment, Tony drew Gibbs' face towards him. "There's something else I'd like you to promise me."

Gibbs' brows went up.

"That when we make love." Tony purred. "You will always make those noises and scream my name."

Gibbs' tongue licked across Tony's lips. "Is that what made you come?"

Tony's eyes closed as Gibbs' lips descended to his neck.

"Did you think I didn't notice?" Gibbs hissed against Tony's ear. "I felt your cock grinding against my thigh." His hand massaged Tony's thigh and heard the moan. "Felt your hot come against my skin."

"Jethro." Tony groaned.

"Did it surprise you?" Gibbs asked nibbling at Tony's earlobe. "How much you liked jacking me off."

"Yes." Tony answered breathlessly clutching at the back of Gibbs' neck.

"I'll promise to make those noises and scream your name if you promise me something."

"Anything!"

Gibbs breathed softly into Tony's ear. "That you'll always be this easy."

Tony's palms slammed up against Gibbs' chest sending Gibbs off of him and down onto the bed laughing. "You are a bastard."

"Yup, I know."

As much as he tried, Tony couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

Pouring his second cup of coffee, Gibbs filled the cup then took a drink of the steaming hot liquid. He wasn't surprised when he felt the arms circle around his waist and the lips sweep across the nape of his neck. Surprise set in when the hand slid down and squeezed his cock. He placed his hand over Tony's and squeezed their joined hand over his growing erection. "If you grab my cock, you better be ready to follow through with that invitation."

"Oh believe me." Tony mewed. "I am."

Pulling his hand away, Gibbs shrugged. "Okay then."

Tony's hand made its way towards the waistband of Gibbs' sweat pants, his fingers just about to slip inside, when Gibbs turned around and shook his head. "What?" Tony asked.

Circling his arms around Tony's waist, Gibbs tugged Tony against him.

"A little sad that scared, tentative Tony is gone?" Tony smirked.

"Definitely not." Gibbs gave Tony a quick kiss.

"Good, then can I get some coffee." Tony felt the arms tighten around him. He wiggled his eyebrows as his hands caressed up Gibbs' chest. "Change your mind?"

"I'll have you several times today." Gibbs sighed. "But coffee and breakfast first."

"Pretty cocky aren't you?"

Gibbs grinned. "You seemed pretty impressed."

"Very impressed." Tony's fingertip brush across Gibbs' lips and Gibbs' sucked in the digit flicking his tongue across the tip. "Jethro." He moaned remembering all too well how wonderful Gibbs' lips felt sucking on his cock.

Crushing Tony to him, Gibbs growled as he let the finger slip from his lips and rubbed his hard cock against Tony equally hard cock.

"What about breakfast." Tony whimpered the friction between their cocks making his body shiver.

"Changed my mind." Capturing Tony's lips, Gibbs devoured the man he loved, realizing resistance was futile.

* * *

"I can't believe I'm about to say this." Tony panted, his body covered in sweat, his hair plastered to his forehead. "You win...I give."

There was no response from the man still draped over Tony's body.

"I need a break- food, fluids..." Tony tried to take a deep breath. "lots of fluids." Still no verbal response, but he felt fingers caress up his thigh and groaned.

Gibbs' fingers stopped at the crook of Tony's hip and thigh.

"Jethro." Tony sighed as warm lips pressed against his ear.

Gibbs hummed. He loved the way Tony said his name.

"I'm really starting to believe you are some kinda dark magic." Tony blew out a quick breath.

"Eleven years."

"Eleven years?" Tony repeated the words spoken in his ear.

"I waited eleven years to have you." Gibbs whispered. "That's a lot of time to make up for."

Tony's eyes closed and his hands caressed up Gibbs' back.

"I've loved you since the moment you tackled me to the ground that day in Baltimore." Gibbs paused. "I didn't know it at first, but I did."

"We don't have to make up for eleven years in a day." Tony's arms tightened around Gibbs body. "I'm not going anywhere."

Gibbs' lips left Tony's ear and traveled down the man's neck nipping gently.

"Jethro." Tony chuckled and that's when he heard it. The creaking of footsteps on the porch. A second later, Gibbs heard it as well and pulled back.

"Is the door locked?" Tony asked eyes wide.

"No." Grabbing the blanket he threw it over them just as the door opened.

"Gibbs, Tony." McGee stopped after taking a step into the living room. His eyes went wide, mouth fell open and he quickly spun around putting his back to the scene. "Um, I was, I thought, I was looking for Tony. His, his car is out front. I didn't, didn't realize you had company."

Peeking out from under the blanket, Tony looked up at Gibbs and the older man shrugged. Tony shook his head repeated. Gibbs' eyes narrowed.

Tony glared back clenching his jaw and mumbling. "You really wanna do this now?"

"McGee give us a minute."

"Yeah." McGee practically ran for the door. "I'll be on the porch."

Tony peeled the blanket down from his face. "You really wanna tell McGee me, it's me naked under the blanket."

"Now or later, what's the difference."

"The difference is, I'll be dressed and mentally prepared."

"Didn't realize, it would take some deep mental preparation to tell our frie-family we're in love and happy." Gibbs climbed over Tony's body and off the couch. Picking up his sweats he tugged them on then slipped on his t-shirt.

"Jethro." Tony groaned getting up and wrapping the blanket around his waist.

"What do you expect me to say?" Gibbs asked. "That you left your car here, but didn't go home?"

"Just tell him I went out after the party and didn't wanna drive."

"Right." Gibbs tipped his head towards the stair. "You can hide upstairs."

Tony opened his mouth to speak, then closed it realizing nothing he said would come out right. He made his way towards the stairs and didn't look back until he reached the top. Looking down he saw Gibbs staring up at him, hand on the door knob, his eyes full of anger. Taking a few more steps Tony disappeared from view.

Gibbs pulled open the door and McGee spun around.

"Boss, I didn't know-"

Holding up his hand, Gibbs shook his head silencing the younger man. "What did you need?"

"Um, I locked myself out of my apartment." McGee tried to forget the earlier scene he'd walked in on. "Tony has my spare key."

"He's not here." Gibbs tasted the bile in his throat. "Left his car. Keys are here." Walking over to the bureau, Gibbs picked up Tony's keys and tossed them to McGee.

McGee caught them and sifted through the keys. He found his and slipped it off the key ring. "Thanks Boss."

Holding out his hand, McGee dropped the keys into Gibbs' palm.

"I'll leave Tony a message and let him know I took the key."

Gibbs nodded still trying to prevent the bile from rising further.

"Sor-"

Without a word, Gibbs slammed the door shut and made his way into the kitchen. Opening the fridge he grabbed a water and downed half the bottle in one swig. He leaned back against the fridge door, closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"McForgetful." Tony chuckled walking into the kitchen. "That's the third time this month he's forgotten or lost his key."

Gibbs gave a grunt.

"Although I think walking in on you in a compromising position will probably cure him of that." Tony laughed.

"Yeah." Gibbs opened his eyes and made his way to the coffee pot. He refilled the cup he'd left on the counter. "Coffee."

"Sure." Tony said walking up behind Gibbs and running his hand up the man's back.

Gibbs took his cup and stepped away. "Sugars by the pot."

"Right." Tony sensed the mood change, felt the tension hanging thick in the air. "So McGee ruined the day now?"

"No." Gibbs said through clenched jaw.

"Then you're pissed at me, because I didn't wanna tell McGee."

Gibbs glared at Tony. "I lied to him, for no reason."

"Believe me." Tony laughed. "If McGee knew it was me under the blanket, he'd be glad you lied."

Rolling his eyes, Gibbs shook his head. "We had this discussion last night, a lie's a lie."

"Why is it so important to you that we tell him now?"

Gibbs put down the coffee cup and folded his arms across his chest. "Why is it so important to you that we don't."

"It's just I-"

"Need to be dressed and mentally prepared to tell him." Gibbs shrugged angrily. "To tell anyone."

"Yeah I do prefer to be dressed when I have a discussion with someone I'm not intimately involved with." Tony snapped back.

"Fine. I'll make a note of that for future reference." Gibbs barked. "Make sure Tony's dressed before some unforeseeable event happens and he has to be honest about the man he supposedly loves."

"Excuse me for not wanted to throw back the blanket and say hey McGee my keys are on the table and oh by the way I just spent the last three hours having sex with Gibbs. Take your key and get out because he's still horny and wants more."

"Don't worry." Gibbs took a sip of coffee. "I'm not horny anymore, won't be for quite awhile. You're safe."

"Wow." Tony shook his head. "You haven't even actually made love to me yet and you're already using sex as a weapon of control."

Gibbs' hand fell from his chest as the verbal punch forced the air from his lungs.

"Jethro, I didn't mean it that way." _Damn it._ Tony mentally head slapped himself. That didn't come out right.

"I know what you met."

"You know my mouth works faster than my brain sometimes."

Another nod.

"It was just wrong wording on my part."

"I get it."

Running his hands through his hair, Tony growled in frustration. "Now you're patronizing me. Are you going to take it personally every time I say the wrong thing? Because you're going to be pissed a whole hell of a lot!"

"How am I not supposed to take this personally?" Gibbs' voice was suddenly calm and cold. "Do we get to tell people after I _actually_ make love to you? And what do I have to do for it to be considered _actually_ making love?" He shrugged. "Since jacking you off and sucking your cock is what just foreplay? Is sticking my dick in your ass making love or do you have to suck my cock too. That whole tit for tat thing. Maybe me fucking you, you fucking me, is it making love then?"

"Do you really believe, I think that everything we did last night and this morning was not making love?"

"Doesn't sound like you do." Gibbs turned to walk away.

"Stop!" Tony grabbed Gibbs' arm jerking the older man back towards him. "We are gonna finish this conversation."

"I am finished."

"Well I'm not." Tony squared his shoulders.

"I don't need to hear your excuse or explanation." Gibbs growled. "I've heard it all before. I just need a little more time to get used to the idea of us or we'll tell everyone all at once. Or my favorite I just want you and our relationship to myself for a little longer. And you've already given me the its different excuse."

"That was not an excuse."

Gibbs shook his head. "I told you that night you found the picture in my wallet, I won't be ashamed of loving you and I won't hide." He held up his finger. "I lied this one time for you...I won't do it again."

He took a deep breath. "So you need to make up your mind and you need to do it now."

Tony watched stunned as Gibbs walked out of the kitchen and stomped up the stairs. Before Tony could even process Gibbs' angry response he heard the older man come back down the stair, the front door open and slam shut. A second later the truck started and peeled out of the driveway. Somehow he ended up in the living room sitting on the couch staring into the kitchen. What the hell just happened? How did a perfect morning suddenly turn into a complete disaster?

"Your mouth that's what happened." Tony groaned dropping his head back onto the couch. The words really had come out wrong about making love. Not telling McGee, that was a little more complicated. He really didn't want to be explaining their relationship to McGee covered in sweat, smelling of sex and wrapped in a blanket. It wasn't shame or wanting to hide, it was just...He let out another groan. Then again, he had a feeling this wasn't just about him, someone had hurt Gibbs, presumable a man that wasn't willing to admit they were in a relationship. Part of the anger that he was receiving was misdirected. He rubbed his hands over his face. He knew how to fix it, it was a two part process. The first part would be easy, the second part, well that would take Gibbs opening his mouth and talking, not as easy.


	14. Chapter 14

The knock was so soft at first he thought he was hearing things. When he heard it a second time, he got up from the desk and made his way to the door. Looking out the peephole, he was surprised by the man standing outside.

The door opened and Tony smiled at the man standing inside the apartment.

"Tony." McGee said looking slightly confused.

"Hey McForgetful."

McGee rolled his eyes. "Did you come here just to harass me about forgetting my keys again?"

"No." Tony sighed. "Need to talk to you about something much more important."

"Okay." McGee moved aside and Tony stepped into the apartment. "Everything okay?" McGee asked closing the door.

"It will be." Hands buried in his coat pockets, Tony took a deep breath and turned around facing McGee. "I was the one under the blanket this morning at Gibbs."

McGee's stood their face expressionless staring at his friend. Then he broke out laughing. "Yeah right." Shaking his head, McGee rolled his eyes. "Did you really expect me to fall for that?"

"I'm not joking." Tony balked. "I was there."

Leaning towards Tony, McGee sniffed at Tony's face.

"What are you doing?" Tony asked jerking his head back.

"Trying to figure out how drunk you are."

"I'm not drunk! I was hiding under the covers, then went upstairs before Gibbs let you back in the house and gave you the key."

McGee's brow furrowed. "Is Gibbs in on this?"

Groaning, Tony's head flopped forward a second, then raised back up. "This is not a joke."

"You and Gibbs?" McGee chuckled. "Tony, I'm not a gullible probie anymore."

Grabbing McGee's face with both hands. Tony looked the younger man directly in the eyes and spoke. "Gibbs and I had been having hot monkey sex all morning before you walked in. It's been going on for weeks...well not the hot monkey sex, but the relationship." He saw the color drain from McGee's face and he let go. "I was under the blanket, you said you thought I was there because my car was out front. You waited on the porch, Gibbs opened the door handed you the keys, you took yours thanked him and he slammed the door on you."

McGee's mouth was now hanging open.

"Do you need to sit down?" Tony asked because he was afraid the probie was about to pass out.

McGee nodded.

Leading McGee towards the couch, Tony stood the younger man in front of it and McGee dropped down. "You gonna be okay?"

Staring straight ahead, McGee stuttered. "I-I walked in, on-on you and Gibbs."

"Yeah, we should have locked the door. Our bad."

" .Gibbs." McGee shook his head. Then his eyes went wide and he looked at Tony. "Does he know you're telling me about this?"

"Um, he wanted to tell you this morning."

"Gibbs wanted to tell me?"

Tony nodded. "But I didn't want to."

The wide eyes settled and McGee looked at Tony confused. "So why come here and tell me now?"

"Long complicated story." Tony groaned.

"This isn't just about sex is it?"

"No." Tony shook his head. "Definitely not."

"Do you love him?"

"I do." Staring at the floor, Tony sighed. "More than I've ever loved anyone."

"Then that's all that matters."

Tony's gaze shot up and he stared at McGee. He smiled. "Thanks."

"Abby's gonna freak." McGee smirked.

Another groan. "Yeah I know. Not looking forward to that conversation."

"Can I ask you something?"

Tony nodded.

"Were all the women just a ruse?"

"Definitely not." Tony dropped down next to McGee on the couch. "Gibbs is the first and the only man I've ever wanted."

"Are you his first?"

"No."

"How many?"

Tony shrugged. "Think you should ask him that."

McGee laughed. "Yeah right."

Laughing with his friend, Tony rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I haven't even asked him that one."

"You both deserve to be happy."

Tony nodded with a slight smile.

McGee's shoulders slumped forward. He knew that smile. "You already had a fight?"

"A disagreement." Standing up, Tony headed towards the door. "And I'm about to rectify that."

"If you need anything-"

"I know." Tony knew they were always there for each other. "Right now I just need to talk to Gibbs."

"Did he take off?"

"Yeah."

"I could trace his phone, I'm sure he didn't turn it off."

"I know where he is."

* * *

The wind whipped around him as he stared out at the water. It was fall and it definitely felt like it. He had no idea how long he'd been standing here, but his hands were cold and his face was numb. Zipping his coat up to his throat he shoved his hands into his pockets flexing his fingers to warm them up. He had already played out every possible scenario in his head, the good and the bad. The fear was setting in now, Tony should have already been here. He knew Tony loved him, but maybe Tony wasn't ready to admit that to everyone else. He'd given the man an ultimatum and he would stand by that, even if it meant losing the man he loved.

Gibbs' body tensed when he heard the snap of a branch behind him, his hand never touched his gun, he could sense the man's presence, always could. He leaned back against the hood of the truck preparing himself for the man's arrival and the conversation that would take place.

Slowly making his way towards the older man, Tony stepped up beside Gibbs and stared out over the water. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he shivered against the windy assault. "I love you, you know right?"

"Yeah." Gibbs nodded all the scenarios of losing Tony flashing through his mind. It's never good when a conversation starts this way.

"Then what is all this about, because it's definitely not just about me and what happened earlier. It's more than that." Tony paused before he asked. "What happened? Who hurt you?"

Shaking his head, Gibbs peered up at the sky. "No one."

"Jethro." Tony sighed annoyed. "Talk to me."

For the second time today, the bile rose in Gibbs' throat and his stomach knotted. He didn't want to talk about this, didn't ever want to have to repeat this story, it hurt too much. Once, he'd told the whole story once, to one person and the man had taken it to his grave. He knew Tony deserved to know, had to know to understand where all of this was coming from, but that didn't make it any easier.

Tony knew the internal struggle that Gibbs was going through. Gibbs hated talking about emotions.

Taking a deep breath, Gibbs steadied himself before he spoke. "That motorcycle story my father told you, you thought I was trying to impress a girl, it wasn't a girl."

"What was his name?"

Gibbs rubbed the back of his neck. "Sam, the first boy I was ever with."

"You loved him?"

"I was fourteen." Gibbs shrugged. What is love at that age?

Tony heard the crack in Gibbs' voice and looked over at the man.

Gibbs sighed. He had to be honest, Tony would accept nothing less. "Yeah I loved him."

Focusing his gaze back over the water, Tony felt a slight twinge of jealousy. When people thought of Gibbs being in love, Shannon was everyone's reference point, and no one seemed to think he'd ever been in love with anyone else. He could only imagine what a young teenage Gibbs was like when he was in love for the first time.

Allowing himself to remember, to really feel the emotions that went with that time and those memories, Gibbs couldn't help but smile wistfully. "He was...amazing, beautiful and smart." He shook his head. "But awkward sometimes, especially in social situations, and even more so in situations that involved me. Then I realized that awkwardness was because of his feelings for me." He snickered. "And at fourteen I was excited by that and scared to death too."

Tony smiled surprised by Gibbs candidness. "Did he make the first move?"

"Sorta." Gibbs grinned over at Tony. "But we'd been flirting for weeks, but he was the one that finally gave me the permission I needed to take it to the next level."

"And?" Tony wiggled his eyebrows.

Gibbs laughed. "It was...clumsy and amazing." He groaned. "We were inexperienced and fumbling our way through it all."

"That's not a bad thing."

"No, it's not. After a while we both just realized it was right and we never questioned it." Hesitant to continue, Gibbs' gaze dropped to his feet and he sighed. "But his family moved a couple months after it all started."

Losing your first love by no fault of your own is hard, but that didn't seem to be what was behind all of this. There had to be more. Tony thought.

"At first, we wrote each other, never about what happened." Gibbs still wished they could have admitted their feelings in those letters. "That lasted about six months, then we just stopped. We were young, separated by thousands of miles, it wasn't meant to last. I never thought I'd see him again."

Tony stole a peek at Gibbs out of the corner of his eye. "But you did?"

"Yeah." Gibbs remembered that first encounter after so many years like it was yesterday. "It was after I divorced Diane. He just showed up at my door and the minute I saw him I knew-"

"You still loved him." Tony finished the sentence. Another wave of jealousy, then concern mixed with fear. Maybe things with Sam weren't completely over. It was hard enough competing with Gibbs' memories and love of the ghost of Shannon, he didn't think he could handle dealing with a living breathing lover.

Gibbs nodded swallowing the lump of emotion that had lodged in his throat. "And he was still in love with me and wanted to try again." He took a deep breath. "Of course I wanted that, so we tried."

Tony steadied his emotions. "How long did it last?"

"Year and a half." Gibbs always thought it seemed like so much longer. "I hadn't been that happy in a long time."

Tony didn't need to be a mind reader to figure out where this was going. Sam had obviously lied about their relation, wanted to hide, that was why Gibbs was reacting this way to the situation."He didn't want to come out?"

Gibbs' hands were balled into fists in his jacket pockets as the regret and shame shook his body.. "He'd been out since he was sixteen."

Snapping his head to the side, the color drained from Tony's face as he stared at Gibbs with a shocked expression. He was wrong. Sam hadn't hurt Gibbs. Gibbs had hurt the man he loved. It seemed incomprehensible. Gibbs was a man that would do anything for the people he cared about, Tony couldn't image that same man spending a year and a half with Sam and denying there was a relationship.

"I couldn't do it, I just couldn't do it." Gibbs voice trembled. He ran his hand across his mouth afraid for the first time in years he was going to be physically ill. "He wanted to build a life together, wanted to get married, wanted kids and I couldn't do it."

"Jethro." Tony's hand gently touched Gibbs' arm.

Gibbs shrugged off Tony's touch, feeling unworthy of the comforting act. "I lied for a year and a half, never told anyone about him. Even when people would show up when he was there, I said he was just an old friend there for a visit." His jaw clenched as he fought to hold back the sorrow. "I saw the hurt turn to anger after countless times of me doing that." He shook his head. "He couldn't take it anymore. The lies, the hiding, he felt I was ashamed, so he left and I don't blame him."

"Did you try to talk to him?"

"And say what?" Gibbs snapped, angry at himself. "I couldn't bring myself to come out and he couldn't go on like that. Nothing I could have said would have changed that." Clearing his throat of the emotion, Gibbs shook his head. "I deserved to lose him, he made the right choice."

The fear settled in Tony's chest as he asked the scariest question he'd ever asked Gibbs. "Are you still in love with him?"

"No." Gibbs answered without hesitation, grabbing Tony and pulling the younger man to him. Green eyes locked on his. "Absolutely not."

Slowly, the fear started to drain from Tony's body. "I had to ask."

"I know." Gibbs understood, but wanted to make it clearer. "I loved Sam and I thought losing him was the biggest mistake of my life, but it wasn't, it was supposed to happen that way."

Tony's brow furrowed.

"Because as much as I loved him." Gibbs' arms circled around Tony's waist pulling the man against him. "It's nothing compared to how much I love you."

Tony's hand touched Gibbs' cold cheek.

"Everything happens for a reason. I learned from that experience and it made me a better man. A man that could love you completely and without doubt or fear. We were meant to be." Gibbs' blue eyes glimmer with possessiveness. "You were meant to be mine."

Tony's body rested against Gibbs.

"And I never wanna hurt someone like that again, especially you. I will never live a lie again." Gibbs took a deep breath and let it out. "I'm in this for the long haul, I wanna build a life with you Tony. I want us to create a home together, laugh together, cry together, have a family together."

"A family?" Tony's eyebrows went up

Maybe that was a little too much too soon. Gibbs still didn't know how Tony was feeling about all this. "I want that, but I know that is new, it's only been-"

Tony's lips brushed against Gibbs in a brief kiss. "I need to say something now."

Holding his breath, Gibbs nodded.

"I need to explain my words and actions."

Another nod.

"First, that making love comment."

"Tony I know-"

"No, let me talk." Tony balked. "I know you think our relationship shouldn't be any different but it is, and not just because you're a man. I have never wanted, needed or loved someone as much as I do you. And that's a huge difference for me." Tony bit at his bottom lip trying to find the right words. "Most of my relationships have been about one night stands and short term flings, that's it. Never any real emotion behind them. And even the two people I thought I loved, don't compare to how I feel about you. So if I loved a woman the way I love you, we'd be having the same conversation."

"Okay." Gibbs knew they both had issues with relationships and really allowing themselves to love someone.

"I made love to you last night and this morning." Tony rolled his eyes. "I was upset and let my mouth run without engaging my brain. I'm not former President Clinton, I know that sex includes blow jobs and hand jobs. Believe me." Tony glared. "Your hands or lips touch another man's cock, it's sex, it's cheating and we're done."

Gibbs' eyebrow went up.

"You're not the only one that gets to be jealous in this relationship." Tony's smirked. "So let me make it clear for you. Anytime you touch me, in that special way."

Gibbs laughed.

"It's sex or making love, whatever your wording. Is that clear?"

"Crystal." Gibbs tried to capture Tony's lips, but the younger man pulled back.

"I'm not finished." Tony scowled.

Settling back against the truck, Gibbs let Tony continue.

"This morning with McGee walking in, I shouldn't have asked you to lie. I'm sorry for that." Tony slid his arms up Gibbs' chest and around his neck. "But it wasn't about not wanting him to know, I really felt there was a better time to tell him, not when I'm naked on your couch smelling like hot sex."

"I over reacted." Gibbs said the two words he rarely said. "I'm sorry."

Tony smiled at the rare words. "But I understand now why you reacted the way you did."

"It still wasn't fair to you."

"I never want you to have to lie about us and I don't wanna lie about us either." Tony's finger's brushed against the nape of Gibbs' neck. "So I took care of it."

Gibbs' brow furrowed.

"I told McGee."

"You told McGee?"

"Yes." Tony nodded. "And after he had a McFreak out, he was very happy for us."

There was no response.

Tony looked at Gibbs confused. "I thought that's what you wanted?"

"It is."

"Then what?"

Gibbs shrugged. "I just wanna know if you're finished so I can kiss you now?"

"I'm not-" The rest of his words were swallowed by Gibbs' mouth crashing down on his. It was slow and dreamy, full of passion but tempered. It was a kind of kiss Tony had never experienced. A kiss that made Tony's heart swell with all the deep emotion that existed between them. A kiss meant to express love, but not arouse desire, yet it still made his toes curl.

It ended slowly, Gibbs' lips gently kissing at Tony's bottom lips before his forehead touched Tony's. "Now you can finish."

Tony's eyes fluttered open and he pulled his head back gazing into the blue eyes before him.

When minutes passed and Tony still hadn't responded, Gibbs smiled. "Tony."

"Is that my name?" Tony sighed.

Laughing, Gibbs kissed the tip of Tony's nose. "Yeah."

Pressing their bodies harder together, Tony sighed. "I love you and I want a life with you, a home and a family." He felt the arms around him tighten. "And I want everyone to know how much I love you."

"I love you and I want to give you everything you ever wanted."

Tony smiled. "You already have." Shivering, his hands slid down Gibbs' chest. "Now let's get in the damn truck, it's cold out here."

Gibbs chuckled. "Your car out in the parking lot."

"Took a cab."

"Even better." Releasing Tony, Gibbs took his hand and led the man to the passenger side and opened the door.

Tony climbed inside and the door closed behind him.

Gibbs slid into the driver's side and put the key in the ignition. "Do you wanna go and get-" The next word lodged in his throat when Tony's hand caressed across his thigh then squeezed. He turned his head sideways and stared at the younger man. Tony had removed his coat and slid across the seat.

Tony leered down at Gibbs' crotch, then back up and licked his lips. "We can stay right here for what I want." His fingers danced over Gibbs' cock and felt it start to harden under his touch. A squeeze and the growing bulge filled his hand.

Gibbs moaned as his hands clutched at the steering wheel.

"Start the truck." Tony commanded.

Prying one hand from the steering wheel Gibbs turned the key and the truck purred to life.

Tony's free hand turned the heat on low as his other hand continued to rub and squeeze Gibbs' dick.

Gibbs' legs parted giving Tony better access and he groaned when the button on his pants popped open. A second later the zipper glided down over his cock and he shifted in the seat.

Tony smiled to himself, pleased at how easily he could arouse the desire in the man he loved. Reaching into Gibbs' boxers, he gently pulled the older man's cock free and his fingers circled around the base.

"Tony!" The name came out as a plea for more.

"Do you know what I want?"

Shaking his head, Gibbs had a pretty good idea but he wanted to hear Tony say it.

Pressing his lips to Gibbs' ear, Tony whispered. "I wanna suck your cock."

Gibbs let out a primal growl. Then Tony's head descended into his lap and he felt a warm breath caress over the head of his cock. His body trembled and Tony took advantage of the moment. He gasped when Tony's tongue lapped greedily at the precum already pooled at the head of his cock. "Fuck!" Not only was he surprised by the action but he was taken aback by Tony's lack of hesitation.

Truth was, Tony surprised himself at how eager he was to taste Gibbs' cock after his earlier trepidation. Now he somehow saw his lack of experience as an advantage. Maybe it was because of hearing the way Gibbs described his first experience as awkward and wonderful that gave him confidence. Then again, part of it was his own desire for the man. Just like the first time he'd jacked Gibbs off, he realized he wanted to know every part of the man intimately, wanted to memorize every piece of Gibbs' body as if it were his own. He rotated his hand around the base of Gibbs' cock as his tongue explored the length of Gibbs' shaft.

Everything around Gibbs faded away as his entire world became Tony and the delirious sensations the man's touch sent throughout his body. It was his first time as much as Tony's. Anything Tony did to him was like experiencing it for the first time. He felt that same teenage boy excitement and awe and it was complete bliss. "Son of a bitch!" Gibbs roared as the head of his cock was engulfed by warm lips and his hand caressed over Tony's back. He watched with lust filled eyes as Tony's mouth and hand worked in unison over his cock as the younger man became accustom to the cock in his mouth. After every couple passes, Tony was able to take more of his cock.

Once Tony had taken half of Gibbs' cock and felt comfortable, he kept his hand there as a mark and made quick movements of the older man's cock.

"Feels so good." Gibbs groaned his fingertips clawing at Tony's back. "So good." His body slumped further into the seat, his hand tightening around the steering wheel for stability. He had just started to enjoy the faster pace Tony had created, when everything changed again. The touch of Tony's hand disappeared and again Tony was making slower passes over his cock trying to take more after every few movement. The agonizingly slow pace quickly had Gibbs' struggling to control the slight rocking of his hips.

Tony felt the shifting of Gibbs' hips and it caused him to moan around the thick cock.

"Like that?" Gibbs hissed his hand involuntarily finding its way to the back of Tony's head and combing through the soft hair. "Like knowing I'd love nothing more than to shove my cock all the way down your throat."

Moaning louder, Tony sped up. He never expected to be so turned on by sucking Gibbs' cock. His own hard cock pressed painfully against the zipper of his jeans dripping with precum telling him exactly how much he liked it. On top of that his entire body was tingling as if each nerve ending had been electrified.

Without Gibbs' consent, his hand fisted into Tony's hair as his control started to falter. "Tony." He panted somehow managing not to impale the younger man down on his cock. "Getting close, so close."

His eyes fluttered closed and his head fell back against the head rest as his body started to surrender. "You need to decide." He grunted. The warmth around his cock started to ascend and Gibbs assumed Tony was going to finish him off by hand, but he was wrong.

When Tony's lips reached the head, he impaled himself on Gibbs' cock, his lips reaching the base staying there a moment then bobbed over Gibbs frantically.

"Tony!" Gibbs cried out losing the last of his control. He shoved Tony down onto his cock as he thrust his hips up fucking Tony's mouth relentlessly until moments later he exploded somehow remembering to let go of Tony's head.

Tony felt like he was drowning at first as his mouth and throat filled with come and while he tried to take everything that was offered. He swallowed and had a flash back to beer bongs and frat parties. Maybe his party boy ways were good for something. He half expected to receive a head slap for the crass thought, a thought he was sure Gibbs would somehow know he was having. The cock in his mouth went limp and he let it slip from his lips. Sitting up he studied the man before him. Gibbs body was limp, chest rising and falling in quick heavy breathes, his hair was disheveled, his face was flushed, eyes closed and lips slightly parted. God the man was sexy.

There was a nibble at Gibbs' bottom lip and he growled instinctively wrapping an arm around Tony jerking the man closer. The teasing turned into a kiss and Gibbs' tongue found its way between Tony's lips tasting himself on the younger man.

When Tony finally pulled back, he was met by the steely blue eyes.

"That was a surprise."

"A good surprise I hope." Tony grinned.

"An amazing surprise." Gibbs sighed.

"Well it was my first time, amazing might be an overstatement." Tony smirked. "But I was damn good."

Gibbs laughed. "I think you underestimate yourself."

"No." Tony shook his head. "I just know I'll get better with practice."

"Anytime you wanna practice-" Gibbs grinned. "You just let me know."

"We'll need food right now, since your little tantrum made us miss breakfast." Tony saw Gibbs roll his eyes. "Then we can go home and I'll practice some more."

"Fair."

Tony's face contorted into a look of contemplation. "Isn't there something about waiting an hour after you eat before sucking cock."

"I think you're confusing sucking cock with beer bonging."

Tony's eyes went wide. How the hell did Gibbs always do that?


	15. Chapter 15

First, I want to thank everyone for the reviews about the last chapter. I haven't had time to respond, so sorry.

Hope everyone enjoys this chapter :)

As always thanks to my wonderful beta reader Srienia for all her hard work :)

"Um this wasn't the home I was talking about." Tony clarified as they turned towards his apartment complex. When no response came, he tried again. "Need a change of scenario, figure we can christen every room in my apartment?" Again no response.

Gibbs pulled into the parking lot and found a spot by the door.

"Tired of me already?"

Putting the car in park, Gibbs turned to Tony. "As much as I would love you running around the house naked for the next two days, I thought you might prefer having some clothes." His eyes leered down Tony's body. "Even if you'll rarely need them." And there was the smile. That brilliant, magnetic smile, which melted Gibbs' heart.

"Are you gonna walk me up?"

Chuckling, Gibbs nodded. "Yeah."

Climbing out of the truck them made their way into the building, stopping and waiting at the elevator. As soon as the doors opened, Tony stepped inside and turned around waiting as Gibbs stepped inside and pushed the floor button.

Turning to face the door, Gibbs' body tingled as the man behind his was suddenly in his personal space and a second later he felt the arm around his waist and the hand caress up his chest between the open jacket.

"This is where it started." Tony whispered in Gibbs' ear. "Where you let your guard down." His hand moved back down Gibbs' chest stopping at the waist band of the man's pants. "And touched me." He sighed. "So innocently, yet intimate."

Gibbs' eyes closed as his back made contact with Tony's chest. He'd never forget that night or the way it felt to finally give himself that one brief moment of contact with Tony, even if it never went any further than that singular touch.

"You wanted more didn't you?"

All Gibbs could do was nod.

"Maybe this?" Tony's hand glided down over Gibbs' cock, purring when it instantly started to thicken under his touch.

"Yeah." Gibbs hissed rubbing his ass back against Tony's crotch.

Tony squeezed Gibbs' cock crushing their bodies together in the process. His lips pressed deep into the curve of Gibbs' ear. "You could have had me that night..."

Spinning around Gibbs attacked Tony, his arms crushing their bodies together, his lips brutally assaulting the younger man and Tony fought back just as hard. Neither of them stopped when the elevator doors opened, instead Gibbs maneuvered them out the door and down the hall. When they reached the apartment door, Gibbs slammed Tony against it as his lips descended to the younger man's throat.

"This is exactly what I wanted that night." Tony panted, his hand clutching at the back of Gibbs' head. "Wanted you to just force me inside, throw me down on the couch and take me." He groaned. "I didn't wanna have to think about, just wanted it to happen."

Gibbs' hands on Tony's hips jerked the man forward then slammed him harder against the door.

"Jethro." It came out as a plea as Gibbs bit at Tony's throat. Suddenly the stability behind Tony started to crumble as the door was jerked open behind him. His eyes went wide as he wrapped both arms around Gibbs trying to stay on his feet. Instead of helping, Tony pulled a surprised Gibbs down with him as the fell back through the door. He landed with a thud on the wooden floor, the air rushing from his lungs as Gibbs crashed down onto him. Trying to take a deep breath, Tony raised his head and looked up. His heart stopped as his eyes locked on the blue eyes of the man holding open the door. "DAD!"

Anthony DiNozzo's Senior's eyebrow was raised as he stared at his son and the scene before him. "Something you need to tell me Junior?"

Tony groaned as his head fell back to the floor.

Finally having recovered, Gibbs glanced up at Tony's father.

"Gibbs." Senior's eyes narrowed. "Just what are your intentions towards my son?"

Letting out a long breath, Gibbs rolled off of Tony and down onto the floor next to him.

* * *

"What the hell are you doing here?" Tony asked rubbing his lower back as he stood there next to Gibbs.

"The more important question is what the hell's going on here?" Senior glared over at Gibbs then looked back at his son. "You know there are laws that protect you against this kinda thing son."

"You should know." Tony snapped back.

"I'm just saying." Senior put up his hands. "I know you do whatever the man says, but you have to draw the line somewhere and this is definitely the place to draw that line." He gave Gibbs another glare.

"I do not do everything he says." Tony scoffed. He saw both men staring at him. "I DO NOT!"

Gibbs tried unsuccessfully to stop from smirking.

Tony punched Gibbs' shoulder. "Stop it! In case you forget, I started this in the elevator."

Senior brow furrowed as he stared at his son.

Gibbs shook his head still smirking. "I didn't forget."

"This is payback isn't it?" Tony balked. "For Jack?"

"Gotta admit." Gibbs shrugged. "Kinda funny."

"It's not funny." Tony punched Gibbs' shoulder again.

"Son I need to talk to Agent Gibbs...alone for a moment."

"No." Tony shook his head. "This does not-"

Senior glared at his son. "I wasn't asking for your permission."

Tony stopped, surprised by Senior's tone and look. It was something he rarely remembered receiving from the man. That fatherly tone and expression, that said you're my son and I'm your father and you'll do as I say. Sure his father was always bossy, but it was the concern in the tone that made the difference. He glanced over at Gibbs and saw the slight nod towards the door. "I can't believe I'm being kicked out of my own apartment by my father and boyfriend so they can talk about my life choices without me." Tony rolled his eyes as he headed towards the door. "I am not cleaning up blood stains, so whomever wins-" Tony threw up his hand. "CLEAN UP!" He slammed the door behind him.

Senior shot a glare at Gibbs as he headed towards the kitchen.

Taking a deep breath, Gibbs followed. Senior was already pouring two drinks when he walked into the kitchen.

Pushing one of the glasses across the kitchen island towards Gibbs, Senior took a sip from his glass. Then waited until Gibbs put the glass to his lips to speak. "Not exactly the scene I expected to find when I opened the door."

Gibbs forced the liquid down his throat.

Senior snicker. "I knew what was going on behind the door, I've been in that position countless times. I know the sounds, the thumps of bodies against the door. I expected to find Junior and some beautiful blond or brunette." He shrugged. "Maybe even a red head, although Junior was never really into red heads."

Gibbs ignored the chide.

"But finding him with you." Senior chuckled. "That was a surprise."

Sitting the glass on the counter, Gibbs' steel blue gaze locked with Senior's. "I love Tony."

"Oh I wasn't surprised about you."

Gibbs pulled his head back, brow furrowed.

"I know you love him." Senior said matter-of-factly. "Knew it the minute you started talking to me in the conference room that first time I met you."

"And you think I made Tony be with me, because he does whatever I tell him." Gibbs' hand balled into a fist at his side preparing for a verbal fight.

"No." Senior chuckled. "He's with you because he wants to be, not even the almighty Gibbs could convince him to switch teams if he didn't wanna hold the bat."

Unclenching his fist, Gibbs ran his hands down his face completely baffled by this conversation.

"Gibbs come on! Did you really think I could find this out and not give you a hard time." Senior grinned. "It's my fatherly duty to give my son's first boyfriend a bad time about it all."

"First boyfriend." Gibbs cocked an eyebrow.

"It's an expression, you are the first." Senior paused, eyes widening slightly and he put his glass down. "You are the first right?"

Gibbs nodded. "And the last."

Senior folded his arms across his chest. "Then I'll ask again. What are your intentions towards my son?"

"If you know I love him." Gibbs paused. "And you think you know me, then you should know what that means."

"You gonna ask me?" Senior questioned.

Gibbs chuckled. "Never saw you as the traditional type."

"Gibbs." Senior put his hand on his chest as if offended. "I'm Italian."

Staring at the older man's face, Gibbs searched for the truth behind the humor. "Your approval won't change anything." The words were not said out of spite or anger, just spoken as fact.

"I didn't think it would." Senior shrugged. "Still nice to be asked. He's my only son."

Even though Gibbs knew Tony and his father had made peace, started rebuilding a true father son relationship, it was his first experience with seeing the more fatherly side of Senior.

An ornery grin spread across Senior's lips. "Afraid he's gonna say no?"

Gibbs shook his head.

"Afraid I'm gonna say no, not that it matters to you." Senior paused contemplating a moment. "Or maybe I was wrong and you're not ready to ask Tony."

"It's been a week." Gibbs chuckled. "And you wanna know if I want your permission to marry your son."

"A week!" Senior balked. "I've fallen in love, married and divorced in less time than that."

Closing his eyes, Gibbs rubbed his thumping forehead.

"You have sealed the deal haven't you?"

Gibbs eyes opened and glared at Senior. The familiar words putting a thought in his head. "Why did you show up here out of the blue."

"Business." Senior answered nonchalantly.

"Two weeks ago you were living it up in the Caribbean with a woman named-" Gibbs tried to remember the name. "Candy Lane."

"Are you keeping track of me Gibbs?" Senior looked surprised and a little upset. "Seems like an abuse of power."

"It's called watching out for my family." Gibbs had started keeping track of Senior after his last couple visits. Just seeing where the elder DiNozzo's name popped up every once in a while. "Which is probably exactly what you call it, when you and my father discussed your sudden need to visit."

"I've never met your father."

Gibbs snickered. "I bet you have Skype on that fancy cell phone of yours and your laptop."

"So what if I do?"

"Was it Abby or Ziva that thought that you two needed to get to know each other?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Senior laughed it off.

Gibbs took a deep breath. "Had to be Abby. That whole six degrees of Kevin Bonham or something, that if you know one person in a group you should know everyone else within that group."

"Bacon."

"Bacon?" Gibbs asked.

"It's six degrees of Kevin Bacon." Senior explained. "How there are only six degree's between every actor and Kevin Bacon."

"Who's Kevin Bacon?"

"An actor." Senior looked at Gibbs stunned that the man didn't know. "He was in Footloose." Still nothing. "Tremors, Flatliners." Again nothing. Senior snapped his fingers. "A Few Good Men."

"Jack Nicholson. Good movie."

"Kevin Bacon played Captain Jack Ross the prosecuting attorney."

"That's Kevin Bacon."

"Yeah." Senior sighed. "And that conversation actually kinda proved the six degrees thing, but not how any of this is related to this conversation."

"When did it start?" Gibbs asked, his patience wearing thin.

Senior opened his mouth to deny it again, then stopped when he received the Gibbs glare. "About a year ago. Abby thought we should all Skype or Facetime, get to know each other. Your dad-" Senior smirked. "Funny man and boy does he have a way with the ladies." Senior pointed at Gibbs and winked. "It's the eyes, Junior always comments about your eyes."

Gibbs folded his arms across his chest. "I thought you hadn't met my father?"

Senior smiled innocently. "Maybe once or twice."

"Did he tell you what was going on, ask you to come here?"

"Not exactly." Senior picked up his glass and took a sip.

"Then what exactly?"

"He just-" Senior shrugged. "Told me there were some developments between you and Junior."

Of all the people in the world that could become friends, Senior and his father seemed an unlikely duo. They were complete opposites in so many ways. Senior was all about the good life, the best of everything. Designer suits, fine cars, world traveler. His father was a simple man jeans and a flannel shirt, the only traveling he did was to D.C. And that had only recently become a more regular trip. However, Senior had touched on one thing they had in common, they both liked the ladies. "You were in on this blind date thing weren't you?"

Senior scoffed. "Hardly, I thought it was a juvenile scheme that would never work. Which is why I was so shocked when he told me it actually worked. I had to see for myself. I couldn't take his word for it when there was mon-" He caught himself just before finishing the sentence.

"You two had a _bet _on us?" The annoyance dripped from Gibbs' words.

Senior scowled at Gibbs annoyed expression. "It was bet made in the spirit of helping our sons."

"Right." Gibbs said with a roll of his eyes.

"A fatherly bet." Senior leaned back against the sink. He saw the annoyance turning to anger within Gibbs. "Your father and I love our sons. We see you both unhappy and we want to make it better. Maybe the tactics seem crass, but the intentions were always good."

Gibbs knew he came off gruff and aloof, but he didn't think he came off as unhappy.

"You both put on a good front for everyone, but fathers know." Senior stared at the drink in his hand. "Your father sees you still alone, yet craving that love again, like you had with Shannon. He sees you still closed off from almost everyone, except your family, the team. Yet the one person in that mix that finally gets under your skin, makes you feel something, you push him away, too afraid to even try."

It still surprised Gibbs that his father paid so much attention to his behavior and worried about him so much.

"Then I see my son, following an all too familiar path that I taught him. A life of one night stands and short lived relationship. Coming home to an empty apartment and pretending it's enough. Senior's words were laced with sadness and regret. "When the truth is that he more than anything wants to come home to someone, that someone who fills the void he's been trying to fill his whole life." He took a deep breath. "And he deserves that." He smiled, putting back on the facade. "Anyway, we both want our sons to be happy. If it takes a little push from us, then we push."

"If you two made a bet and you talked to my father, why were you surprised about any of it?"

"Part of it was just me ribbing you." Senior grinned. "But I honestly wasn't sure Tony would let it happen or if he'd let it happen and walk away from it. I mean-" He gave a shrug. "Sure I noticed the way he looked at you sometimes, definitely honed in on the odd things he said about you, even the picture in his wallet." He saw the slight reaction in Gibbs' eyes. "Yeah I saw that, Jack just confirmed it, but even with all that." He shook his head. "Seems hard to believe a man that says he doesn't like sausage will all of a suddenly start eating sausage."

Gibbs' eyes closed momentarily as he suppressed a groan at the bad metaphor.

"I'm just saying." Senior smirked. "I'm all for whatever floats your boat and believe me I've had my share of two women." He wiggled his eyebrows. "But personally I've never wanted to add another man to the mix."

_This conversation is not happening._ That's what Gibbs kept telling himself. "I get it. Can we get back to the original question."

"We both knew you had to make the first move, no matter how slight of a move it was, and things would happen the way they were meant to happen."

Gibbs sighed. He was about to ask a very similar question to the one he'd asked his own father. "If you weren't sure this is what Tony wanted, that it could ruin our friendship. Then why do it?"

"Because when it comes to love," Senior looked at Gibbs. "The greater the risk, the greater the reward."

"You believed he loved me?"

"Of course I did." Senior smirked. "The risk was him allowing himself to love you and accepting it." He finished off his drink, put the glass down and walked around the island to Gibbs. "Believe it or not, I like you Gibbs and I believe you're the right person for my son. I see the way you look at him-" He stared into the steel blue eyes. "Like your world begins and ends with him and you would do anything to protect him."

Gibbs nodded.

Senior stepped into Gibbs personal space putting them nose to nose. "But if that look ever goes away and you hurt him-" His eyes glazed over with the protective instincts of a father. "That badge and gun you carry won't protect you."

For the first time, Gibbs had a respect for Senior he never thought he'd have. "Understood."

"Good." Senior smacked Gibbs' arm and grinned. "Now should we throw some ketchup on the floor by the door make Junior think we came to blows?"

Gibbs shook his head and laughed.

* * *

Stopping in front of the door, Tony put his ear against the wooden surface listening for the screaming or breaking of objects. All he heard was some muffled sounds. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and slowly walked in carrying the coffee cup holder. Silently closing the door behind him, he listened closely; the muffled sounds from outside the door now clear. Laughter. He hurried through the living room and into the kitchen stunned by the scene before him. Gibbs and his father drinking and laughing at the kitchen island.

"Hey Junior." Senior looked over and smiled.

"Dad." Tony glanced at Gibbs then back to his father. "Everything okay?"

"Of course." Senior chuckled. "I was just telling Jethro about that time you when you were thirteen and I caught you watching that porno."

Tony's mouth fell open and the coffee holder wobbled in his hand.

"Junior, come on. All teenage boys do it." Senior rolled his eyes.

Sitting the coffee down on the island before he dropped them. Again his gaze shifted between the two men. "It's Jethro now is it?"

"Well he is family now."

"Right." Tony nodded a look of fear and confusion plastered on his face. He threw his hands up. "What the hell is going on here?"

"We're just talking." Senior's brow furrowed as he stared at his son.

Tony blew out a long breath and ran his hands down his face.

"Tony relax." Gibbs said calmly.

"Relax?"

"Anthony!" Senior snapped taking a step towards his son. "That's enough."

Tony stared at his father taken aback by the command in the man's voice.

"Are you happy?"

"What?"

Senior rolled his eyes. "Not a hard question. Are you happy-" " He tipped his head to the side towards Gibbs. "With him."

Stealing a quick glance at Gibbs, Tony looked back at his father. "Yes."

"You love him?"

Tony nodded as he spoke. "Yes."

"Then that's all that matters." Senior smiled and patted his son's cheek. "I'm happy for you."

"You are?"

Senior nodded. "He's a good man and he loves you."

"I know." Tony saw Senior glance at his watch.

"Oh I gotta go." Senior grinned. "I have a date."

"A date?"

"Yeah and you two." Senior winked. "Can get back to what you were doing."

"Dad!"

"I'm just saying. I'll be staying with my friend tonight. So don't worry about me interrupting."

"Oh God." Tony groaned.

Senior gave his son a quick hug. "If you're up for it we'll have lunch tomorrow before I leave."

"Leave?"

"Jethro can explain everything."

Tony's head dropped back. "Of course he can."

"Jethro." Senior nodded.

Gibbs nodded back as Senior disappeared through the living room and a second later the door opened and closed.

Jerking his head up, Tony met the blue eyes already focused on him. "Will you please explain to me what the hell happened here?"

Holding out his hand, Gibbs let Tony's fingers entwined with his before pulling the man into his arms and capturing Tony's lips.

Forgetting the question he'd asked and everything that happened, Tony's entire body surrendered to the man he loved. Letting go of Gibbs' hand, Tony's arms settled around Gibbs' neck already praying that the kiss would turn into more.

Drawing back, Gibbs smiled at Tony. "Are one of those coffees for me?"

"Yes." Tony sighed. "On one condition."

"And that is?"

"Coffee, then you tell me what happened between you and my father."

"Deal."

Reaching back, Tony grabbed one of the cups and put in Gibbs' awaiting hand.

Taking a gulp, Gibbs' face contorted as the odd taste assaulted his senses. He forced himself to swallow and the strong warm fluid hit his stomach. Clearing his throat, he looked at Tony. "Did you put Bourbon in this?"

Tony shrugged. "Thought you would need it after the conversation with my father." He raised an eyebrow. "I didn't realize you two would start drinking like old buddies."

"You gonna let me explain or keep making wise cracks?"

"Fine, explain."


	16. Chapter 16

Senior held up his empty glass waving it in the direction of the very attractive bartender who nodded and headed towards the older man.

The woman stopped in front of Senior and smiled.

Rolling his eyes, Senior sighed. He knew that fake smile. It was the smile all bartenders had when they were about to casually ask if he was driving, because he'd already had way too many. "I'm not driving, I'll have you call me a cab after one more."

"Okay." She picked the bottle off of the shelf and refilled Senior's glass.

"Thanks." He smiled giving her a wink. Bringing the glass to his lips, he took a small sip and glanced around the bar. The date hadn't worked out as he had planned. Instead of being invited back to the woman's hotel, she'd kissed him on the cheek and told him she had an early meeting and maybe they could get together the next time they were both in town. He shook his head. That's what he got for picking up a woman on a plane. His eyes stopped when he landed on a familiar female face sitting in a back booth with another woman. Standing up, he was about to make the journey towards them, when his eyes went wide and he paused in mid step. Leaning sideways against the bar, he closed his eyes and ran his hand down his face. Maybe he really had had too many. Slowly opening his eyes, he looked back at the booth. The two women were laughing and smiling, obviously they were friends but…His eyes went wide again when he saw the familiar woman reach out and gently brush the other woman's hair behind her ear. Okay that was the second rather intimate touch the two women had exchanged. It wasn't just that, it was everything. How closely they sat next to each other, the way their hands lay on the table, not touching but remaining close enough to do so if they decided to, and then the coy glances they gave each other. Dropping back down onto the bar stool, Senior pulled out his phone and hit the speed dial.

"I don't know what to say." Tony said as he made his way to the kitchen and shoved the left overs into the fridge. "I mean we've been working on our relationship, talking more, but I never thought he'd-"

"We've been through this, he's your dad, and he loves you." Gibbs hung up his coat and sat down on the couch.

"It only took him forty some years to actually show me." Tony chuckled tossing his coat on the chair by the couch then starting to pace in front of the coffee table. "Part of me wants to be pissed that he'd bet on us getting together, but how can you be pissed when your dad just wanted you to happy...he didn't want me to end up-"

"Like him." Gibbs knew all too well how much Tony was like his father when it came to relationships.

"I really thought I would end up like him. A string of short lived bad marriages, then bad divorces, until finally realizing one night stands were my fate."

"Been there, done that." Gibbs sighed.

Stopping in mid step, Tony looked at Gibbs, then laughed. "Right."

"Tony sit." It was said as a request not a demand.

Taking a deep breath, Tony dropped down next to Gibbs. "Did you ever think our dads would be friends?"

"Never." Gibbs settled back into the couch and ran his hands down his face.

"Can you imagine the two of them at a bar?" Tony chuckled. "I mean what kinda bar would they even go to? Your dad is more of the local pub, my dad is more of a country club."

"Evidently they found common ground."

Tony blew out a long breath. "So you're not mad they did this?"

Gibbs looked at Tony. "Their meddling gave me you, how can I be mad?"

That DiNozzo smile filled Tony's face. "Yeah." He rubbed his hands over his face. "Still really unlike him. I mean the money, wanting to win the bet that I get."

"He wants you to be happy Tony, that's what it comes down to."

"I know, just accept it right?" Tony sighed. "My father actually did something nice for me, out of love." He groaned. "God is the world coming to an end?"

Chuckling, Gibbs patted Tony's leg.

"What about you two getting along, I mean I know he stayed here at Thanksgiving but you still always seemed cautious of his motives."

Gibbs shrugged. "I'm always cautious when it comes to your father, but I also know he did this for the right reasons."

"Like Jack?"

"Yeah."

Tony shivered. "Still Jack and my dad working together, hinky."

Gibbs snickered.

Putting his head back on the couch, Tony stared at the blank white ceiling. "Were we that obvious?"

"I thought I was hiding it pretty well."

"I didn't have a clue how you felt." It still seemed like a surreal dream to Tony. The idea that Gibbs loved him, wanted a life, a family, with him of all people. Gibbs knew him better than anyone and knew all the baggage that went along with loving him. Most people would have run away screaming.

"I'm not exactly relationship material." Gibbs knew what Tony was thinking. "Everyone comes with baggage."

"How did he know how I felt?" Tony sighed. "Hell I wasn't even sure how I felt."

"That's not what your dad said."

Jerking his head up, Tony glared at Gibbs. "Something you forgot to share?"

"He noticed the way you looked at me, things you said, and the picture in your wallet."

Tony tried to think back. What had he said to his father to give him any clue as to how he felt about Gibbs?

Gibbs sighed and dropped his head back on the couch.

"Do you think anyone else noticed?"

"You said McGee seemed surprised."

"Yeah, but that's McClueless." Tony balked. "What about Abby or Ziva."

"Can't imagine they'd keep quiet if they thought something was going on between us."

"Yeah." Tony grinned. "Abby would have flat out asked and Ziva would have been stalking around like some Ninja spy trying to find clues.

"One of them definitely would have talked to you."

Gradually, Tony's body started to shake as the laughter started.

"What's so funny?"

"My father's face-" Tony muddled through the laughter. "When we fell through the door."

Gibbs snickered.

"Whether he knew or not." Tony shook his head. "That look was priceless."

"It was."

"Never thought that's how I'd tell him about us."

"You thought about how you would tell him?" Maybe Tony's relationship with Senior really had changed. After Tony's reluctance to tell McGee, Gibbs couldn't imagine Tony wanting to rush to tell his father.

Tony gave Gibbs a warm smile. "I told you, I wasn't trying to hide our relationship from anyone, it's about timing. Falling through a door we were making out against to find my father standing there was not the timing I had in mind."

"Guess not."

Letting out a sigh, Tony shook his head. "I figured he'd call one night, ramble on about some half- baked business venture he was involved in, then regal me with story of the latest would be stepmother number ten or twelve whatever it is and finally he'd ask so what's new with you Junior?" He shrugged. "And I'd say works great, still enjoy every minute of it and by the way I'm in love with Gibbs and we're building a life together." He chuckled. "Then I'd hear the phone hit the floor and or maybe even hear him hit the floor." Tony grinned when Gibbs started laughing. "I mean, Senior's never cared about anyone's sexuality, but when it's your only son, with a reputation like mine."

"You expected him to have a heart attack?"

"I expected him to be shocked, or at least surprised, not actually having known what I wanted before I did."

"And that's what bothers you." It wasn't a question.

"A lot!" Tony groaned. "All I wished for as a kid was for him to pay attention to me, spent time with me. Then as an adult I gave up on that and I just wanted some kind of a relationship with him. Now he's doing everything I wanted and it's freaking me out!"

"Be careful what you wish for." Gibbs chortled.

"Really?" Tony cocked an eyebrow and looked at Gibbs. "Speaking from recent experience?"

Meeting Tony's gaze, Gibbs' hand brush against Tony's cheek. "You weren't a wish, you were a hope."

"There's a difference?"

Gibbs nodded letting his finger trace a path down Tony's jaw. "A wish is desperation, thinking what we want can't really happen, an impossibility. Hope conveys belief, belief that what we want can happen, it just hasn't happened yet."

"That's what you meant in the elevator that night." It made sense now. "By not telling me how you felt, there was always hope."

Another slight nod.

Tony leaned towards Gibbs, his eyes dancing back and forth between the older man's blue eyes and lips. When Gibbs' warm lips grazed his briefly, he smiled. "I was hoping for a little more than that."

Gibbs' hand cupped Tony's neck as his lips captured Tony's in a passionate embrace dragging the man into his lap. Their bodies connected, arms weaving around each other, Tony straddling Gibbs' lap, his knees locked tightly against Gibbs' hips as they reveled in the kiss. Neither wanted it to end and it seemed like an eternity passed before their lips began to part and Tony's forehead rested against Gibbs.

Eyes still closed, Gibbs took in a slow deep breath savoring the moment.

Gazing at Gibbs, Tony's fingers brushed the hair from Gibbs' forehead then let his fingers explore the hard lines and soft features of the older man's face. The touch made Gibbs' brow furrow and he traced one of the fine lines before the brow relaxed and smoothed under his fingers. Smoothing over the coarse gray hairs of Gibbs' eyebrows, they arched under his examination. When Tony's touch whispered over the closed eyelids he felt the twitch under his fingertips. Gently running his finger down the slope of Gibbs' nose he paused at the cleft between the man's nose and lips, grinning when the older man wiggled his nose. Brushing his finger across Gibbs' lips he felt the lingering warmth from their kiss.

"I used to stare at your lips." Tony whispered. "Wonder how they would feel against mine or on my skin." The body under him shifted slightly. "Or how your hands would feel caressing me." The hands on his back silently fulfilled his thought, one hand feathering back and forth across the small of his back, the other dancing up his spine. He arched into the touch. "A few times it was a dream about making out on the couch, fully clothed, bodies intertwined, kissing like it was the first time we'd ever kissed anyone." A low moan grumbled from deep inside him as Gibbs' lips kissed a path up his throat. "Random thoughts, desires, but never full-fledged sexual fantasies."

Gibbs' hands had reached Tony's shoulders clawing and pushing the younger man down hard into his lap.

"At first I thought it never turned sexual because I couldn't really see myself making love to a man, but that wasn't it." Tony purred as Gibbs' nipped at his throat "It all became clear after that simple touch in the elevator and you walking away." Tipping his head back further, the nipping became sharp bites. Hissing, he continued. "Suddenly I couldn't ignore the thoughts and my brain started trying to put the pieces together. Like why I wanted a closer relationship, why I was jealous of you having found the one or why I always stared at your cock."

Gibbs growled into Tony's neck at the last statement.

"All those thoughts and dreams, about how you would kiss, or how you would touch me." Tony moistened his dry lips. "I wanted you in control...taking what you wanted. That's what I needed, what I wanted for those fantasies to be real in my mind. I just-" The force pressing down on his shoulders stopped and the lips left his neck. The conversation from when Gibbs was giving him a blow job ran across his mind. "I know, it's stupid." He closed his eyes and dropped his head down.

"Hey." Gibbs placed a finger under Tony's chin and brought the younger man's chin up. "Look at me."

Tony's eyes opened greeted by steely blue.

"You're still over thinking." Gibbs' thumb caressed back and forth over Tony's jaw. "Wanting me to take control is completely different from assuming I always will or always need too."

"I would never let you always be in control."

Gibbs gave a crooked smirked. "You made that very clear in the truck earlier."

"Good."

"And it's never stupid to ask for what you want." Gibbs cupped Tony's chin. "As long as it's what you want and not what you think I want."

"Believe me. This has nothing to do with what you want." His hands caressed up Gibbs' chest. "And everything to do with what I want."

Gibbs nodded letting his fingers comb through the hair at Tony's temple. "Funny how that works."

"Funny how what works?" Tony gasped as Gibbs' fingers knotted in his hair jerking his head back. His eyes locked on Gibbs' and his heart stopped.

"How what you want, is exactly what I want." Gibbs gaze narrowed. "You see I've had this fantasy before...hundreds of times. Sometimes we're in the bed, sometimes on the couch, or floor, or a desk." A lecherous grin spread across his lips. "But it always ends the same way."

"How?" Tony asked breathlessly.

Gibbs brought his lips to mere centimeters from Tony's as he spoke. "With your naked body writhing in pleasure as you beg me not to stop, then the sound of you screaming as you come."

"Jet-" The rest of the name was swallowed by Gibbs' kiss. A kiss that was hard and demanding, a kiss that promised so much more

Somewhere in the recess of Gibbs' mind he heard Tony's phone buzz to life, but ignored it. It went silent, but a second later it rang again. Reluctantly, he pulled back.

Tony groaned.

"Whomever it is wants to talk to you." Again the phone started to ring.

"Yeah." Tony sighed. "It's my father." Reaching back he grabbed the phone and answered with a harsh. "What?"

"You need to see this." Senior's words were slightly slurred.

"See what?"

"Just get here. I'm at Houlihands."

"Are you drunk?"

"Junior, get over here."

"Kinda busy." Tony snapped.

"This is important." When Senior didn't receive a response, he tried again. "Anthony, I'm serious. I'm sitting at the bar."

Taking a deep breath, Tony blew it out. "Fine, I'll be there in fifteen." Slapping the phone shut, he looked at Gibbs.

"I'll go with you."

"No." Tony gave Gibbs a quick kiss. "He's drunk and thinks I need to see something that is important."

Gibbs could hear the sarcasm in Tony's voice. "You sure?"

"Yeah." Tony sighed. "I'll drive him to my place, let him sleep it off, then head back over here."

"If you need to be with your dad-"

"I'll be back." Shaking his head, Tony chuckled. "I'm beginning to think there's a conspiracy to keep us from-you know."

"Believe me I know." Gibbs hissed as his hands ran over Tony's back. "We have time, it will happen."

"Yes it will." Tony captured Gibbs' lips briefly then climbed off his lap. "I won't be long."

Gibbs nodded.

Grabbing his coat, Tony flashed a smile at Gibbs then headed out the door.

Running his hands down his face, Gibbs tossed his head back and sighed. Just when he thought Senior had changed, that the visit had actually been to check on Tony, Senior pulls something like this. He shouldn't be surprised, Senior was dramatic and obsessed with being the center of attention.

* * *

Making his way through the crowd, Tony headed towards the bar and saw his father sitting there drink in hand. Approaching his father, he reached around and removed the glass from his father's hand. "Time to go dad."

Spinning around on the bar stool, Senior looked at his son wobbling slightly. "Not until you see this." He motioned with his head towards the back booth.

"No, I'm taking you to my place so you can sleep this off."

Senior took Tony by the shoulder and turned his son towards the booth.

Through the crowd of people Tony's eyes landed on the two women in the back booth, the shock registering on his face instantly. "What the hell are those two doing here together?"

"Together being the important word here."

Tony jerked his head towards his father. "What?"

"That's what I wanted you to see." Senior explained. "They are here "together"." He made the quotes in the air around the word.

It took a moment, but Tony suddenly started laughing.

Senior rolled his eyes. "I'm not joking."

"Ziva and-" Tony couldn't even finish the thought still laughing.

"Look, really look and watch."

Trying to rein in the laughter Tony stared back at the table looking at the scene with an investigator's eye. The two women were sitting close. He glanced under the table realizing one of their knees were actually touching. Looking back up, he saw how they leaned into each other as they spoke, laughing and smiling completely engrossed in each other, oblivious to everyone else around them. Then it happened. Tony's mouth dropped open, eyes practically bulging out of his head as his friends hand slipped under the table and squeezed the other woman's knee. "Oh God no." His eyes closed and he dropped down onto the bar stool next to his father. "Please, please no." This had to be a bad dream. That's what it was. He was having a nightmare. He had fallen asleep on Gibbs' couch and was having a horrible nightmare that he would never speak of to anyone, especially Gibbs.

"You know the other woman?"

Tony nodded.

"Who is she?" Senior asked, his curiosity peaked. "Some guys wife, another agent, oh someone you dated before?"

Tony's whole body shivered at the last comment. "Not even if you made me Magnum PI and gave me the helicopter for my personal use."

Senior grimaced. "That bad?"

"That bad." Tony groaned rubbing his hands down his face. "This can't be happening. What the hell is Ziva thinking?"

"What the hell is in the water at NCIS?" Senior snickered. "First you, now Ziva."

"Believe me." Tony scoffed. "This isn't Ziva's first swim in the woman pool."

Senior's right eyebrow went up as he smiled. "Really?"

"I always thought it was just part of her Mossad training, something she did only for the sake of an op." Tony snapped his fingers. "That's it maybe it's some undercover op that I don't know about."

Glancing back at the booth, Senior chuckled. "That's one hell of an acting job."

"Ziva's a very good actress when she needs to be."

"Then I think we should find out if she's acting." Senior stood up and steadied himself before heading into the crowd towards the back booth.

"Dad no, we can't just-" Tony reached out to grab his father's arm but found only air. "Damn it!" He growled taking off after his father. Pushing his way through the crowd, he hurried to reach his father before Senior reached the table, but he was too late.

"Ziva!" Senior said plastering on that famous DiNozzo smile. "What a coincidence seeing you here."

Even though she tried, Ziva couldn't hide her shock at seeing the Senior DiNozzo. "What are you doing in DC?"

"Just doing some business and stopping in to check on Junior."

"Is Tony here with you?" There was a fear in Ziva's voice.

"Well he's-"

"Ziva." Tony plastered on a smile not even looking at the other woman.

"Junior don't be impolite." Senior straightened his suit jacket and smiled at the unfamiliar woman. "Anthony DiNozzo. It's a pleasure to meet any beautiful friend of Ziva's."

The woman smirked and shook her head. "There are two of you, really?" She looked back and forth between the two DiNozzo's then gave Senior a once over. "Oh this explains so much." She grinned at Tony. "Did he just clone you in some test tube?"

"Nice to see you too." Tony gave her a sarcastic smile then glared at Ziva.

Sliding out of the booth, Ziva latched onto Tony's arm and dragged him away from the booth. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"What the hell are you doing here, with her?" Tony snapped back glancing at the other woman in the booth then back at Ziva. "Please tell me this is not what it looks like."

"We are two friends having a drink." Ziva said shrugging it off.

"Friends? When the hell did you two become friends?" Tony asked annoyed, then barked. "And since when do you feel up your friend's knee?"

Ziva's entire body tensed.

"Ziva." Tony closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Please tell me this is some joint op or something, anything other than this is the person you've been dating and hiding from everyone."

"Tony please. You cannot tell anyone about this."

"Oh God!" Tony groaned feeling the bile rise in his throat. "What the hell are you thinking? Do you know the hell that is going to be unleashed when this gets out, I mean Gibbs is going to-"

"He is not going to find out, not yet." Ziva glared at Tony. "We just need some more time to figure this all out."

"There is nothing to figure out?" Tony grabbed Ziva by the arms and shook her. "Run, run as fast and as far away as you can."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I am in love with her." Ziva yelled back

Tony's head jerked back as he searched the brown eyes. "You're serious?" His hands slowly fell from Ziva's arms as a shocked look settled over her face. He knew that look all too well. "You just realized it didn't you?"

She nodded as she glanced over at the woman in the booth.

He put his hands on his head. "Is she in love with you?"

"I believe so, we have not said it."

Blowing out a long breath, Tony shook his head. "When, how, why?"

"It just happened." Ziva threw up her hands. "We had dinner one night as friends, then every other night-" She wished she had a better explanation. "I never expected this to happen, it just did."

"But _her _of all people."

Ziva smiled as she glanced over at the woman. "She is beautiful, kind and always-" She looked back at Tony. "Haven't you ever loved someone that no one ever thought you would and you can't explain it?"

"Oh you have no idea!" Tony said the words without thinking and saw Ziva's brow furrow.

"Are you seeing someone?" Ziva questioned.

"We're not talking about me!" Tony spit out. "You have to tell Gibbs."

"I will, but-"

"No buts!" Tony pointed at her. "I can't keep this from him, I won't."

"Tony please. I'm asking you as my friend." Ziva sighed. "Please, let me tell him on my own time."

"You've been dating for months, you need to tell him. If he finds out by accident-"

"I know." She took a deep breath. She had wanted to tell him, but just couldn't figure out how. "I just I want to find the right way to explain. I do not want this to become a situation where I have to make a choice."

His brow furrowed as he cocked his head to one side. "You really do love her?" He knew Ziva wouldn't risk her relationship with Gibbs unless she was absolutely sure.

"Yes, I do."

"Seriously-" Tony shook his head. "Did someone go back in time and step on a butterfly or something because this day has been beyond bizarre."

"Your dad?" Ziva smirked.

"My dad, Gibbs, now you."

"Gibbs?" She looked concerned. "What about Gibbs?"

Tony's eyes darted back and forth nervously. He never did know when to shut up. "Never mind."

"What are you not telling me?" Her eyes narrowed. "You are seeing someone. Are you in love?"

"Hello, this is about you and the de-" He stopped in mid word when he saw the angry glare from his friend. "Are you absolutely positively sure about this, because if this doesn't work out between you two world war three will break out."

She rolled her eyes. "No one can be absolutely positively sure about anything."

"Well you need to be as sure as possible." He glanced back at the other woman then Ziva. "Really, her?"

"Stop it." She punched his shoulder.

"You have to tell Gibbs tomorrow." He paused giving her a demanding stare. "Promise me?"

"I will tell him."

"Tomorrow?" He reiterated.

"Why is it so important I tell him tomorrow?" She asked confused by the urgency.

"Because I'm supposed to go back to Gibbs tonight and there is no way that is going to happen. I can't see him until you've told him."

"Back to Gibbs?"

"Yeah, just having some beers."

Folding her arms across her chest, she gave him an icy glare. "There is something going on with Gibbs that you are not telling me."

"No, just-" He let out a long sigh. "Now is not the time for me to explain"

"Yes it is." Ziva snapped. "If Gibbs is going through something right now then it is not the time to tell him about this."

Laughing, Tony shook his head. "The only good time to tell Gibbs about this is when he's dead and even then he'd haunt both of you."


	17. Chapter 17

Sorry this took so long. It's been crazy busy around here, but the next chapter is finally here. Enjoy :)

As always, thanks to my wonderful beta reader Srienia.

** ############**

"Junior I'm fine." Senior pushed Tony's hand from his arm. "Believe me, the explanation of Ziva's _predicament_ was very sobering."

"Yeah, well it made me wanna drink."

"You can't drink and drive." Senior unbuttoned his suit jacket and sat down on the couch. "Wait till you get to Gibbs'."

"I can't go to Gibbs', he'll know something's wrong." Tony dropped down on the couch beside his father.

"He'll know something is wrong if you don't go."

"Maybe, but if I'm there I'll never be able to hide it." Running his hands down his face Tony groaned.

"You could tell him, soften the blow."

"Oh no." Tony laughed. "I'm not going to be the bearer of that bad news."

"Maybe he won't see it as bad news."

Tony head jerked sideways and stared at his father. "With everything I told you, you really think Gibbs will be fine with this?"

Senior shrugged. "If this relationship makes Ziva happy, wouldn't he accept that, even given the situation."

"I don't know." Tony dropped his head back onto the couch. "That's a lot to accept, even if they really are in love."

"You don't think it's real?" Senior seemed surprised by that.

"I think that love is strange." Tony chuckled. "If someone had told me a few weeks ago that Gibbs would tell me he's in love with me and that I was actually in love with him, I would have said they were insane. Yet here we are." He sighed. "So is it real with Ziva, she says it is. Who am I to doubt that?"

"Yet you do."

"It's not Ziva's feelings I doubt." Tony rubbed his forehead. "Then again, Ziva would know if it was an act or lie. She reads people almost as well as Gibbs."

"Almost as well as you." Senior looked at his son. "Yet you never realized Gibbs was in love with you."

"So what? You're doubting Gibbs now?"

"No." Senior snickered hearing the annoyance in his son's voice. "He's hopelessly in love with you. I'm just saying people are masters at hiding their true feelings. It doesn't mean those feelings aren't real."

"Yeah." Tony smiled at his father. "When did you become so wise?"

Senior chuckled. "I have been in love a couple times."

"A couple?" Tony's eyebrow went up.

"Just a couple."

_That said a lot._ Tony knew all too well that several of his father's marriages had not been about love.

"Go to Gibbs'."

"I can't do that. He'll know I'm keeping something from him."

Senior patted his son's leg. "Not if you go back and pick up where you left off."

Tony's eyebrows went up again.

"Do you think I don't know I interrupted?" Senior smirked. "I could hear it in your voice."

Rubbing his forehead, Tony's eyes closed.

"I know you two are having sex." Senior snickered.

Tony groaned. "I am not having this conversation with you."

Senior's brow furrowed then that DiNozzo smile spread across his face. "Ah you two still haven't…" He paused searching for the right words. "Knocked at the back door."

The color drained from Tony's face as his mouth dropped open.

Senior cocked his head. "Is one of you the top or you two switching it up?"

Running his hands down his face, Tony sighed. "I am not answering that."

"So you don't know yet." Senior shook his head. "Something you better talk about. I mean Gibbs is a pretty dominant kinda guy, but then sometimes the dominant ones in everyday life, want to be more submissive in the bedroom."

"Stop talking!" Tony shouted jumping up.

"When did you get so uptight about sex?" Senior asked.

"I am not uptight!" Tony snapped.

"Ohhhh, I get it." Senior grinned. "Believe me there is nothing wrong with wanting to be the submissive one." He wiggled his eyebrows. "Some of the best sex I've had has been when I let the woman take complete control."

"What part of stop talking do you not understand?"

"I'm just saying letting-"

"I get it! Stop." Tony barked cutting off his father's thought. "How did this become about my sex life?"

Senior shrugged.

"Go to bed, I'll sleep on the couch." Tony said trying to end the conversation.

Standing up slowly, Senior looked at his son. "Fine, but seems a waste for you to sleep on an uncomfortable couch, when you could be sleeping with the man you love."

Tony let out a sigh.

"Your choice." Senior patted his son's cheek, before heading towards the bedroom. "But if it was me, I'd choose the latter."

The bedroom door closed and Tony's head dropped forward, then he glanced over at the couch. God he hated that couch, even Gibbs' lumpy couch was better than the hard leather monstrosity before him.

* * *

Using all of his skills, he slowly navigated the steps, then avoided the creaky porch board and paused at the door. Carefully he opened the door, crossed the threshold and took a few steps into the house. He stopped and stole a glance into the living room. He was surprised to see the end table light on, the man lying on the couch, eyes closed, still dressed in a t-shirt and probably boxers. The man's bare legs exposed, the blanket tossed haphazardly across his midsection and the top of his thighs. Most people would have assumed the man was asleep, but it was doubtful that he was. The man heard everything and it was a rare occasion that someone could sneak into the house without him knowing.

Silently making his way to the couch, Tony carefully slipped off his shoes and climbed onto the body. His hands tenderly caressed up the other man's chest before he descended , softly kissing the lips. When the kiss got him no response he kissed his way up the man's jawline smiling to himself when he felt the slight movement. He drew back and a hand caressed the side of his neck. It suddenly latched on and jerked him back down crushing their lips together, unable and unwilling to fight, Tony surrendered giving into all the passion of the kiss.

Gradually Gibbs let their lips part and he opened his eyes, meeting the smiling blue eyes staring down at him. "I was having a dream about you." He smirked. "Well you and I, we were-"

Tony placed a finger against Gibbs' lips and shook his head. "Don't tell me, show me." He sat up straddling Gibbs hips and waited.

Without another word, Gibbs' hands took hold of Tony's shirt and started to peel it off his body. Tony's arms went up as the shirt was removed and tossed aside. Gibbs' hands caressed up Tony's bare chest causing the younger man's eyes to close. Gibbs' upper body came off the couch as he captured Tony by the waist dragging the younger man down as he attacked Tony's throat.

A low needy groan escaped Tony's lips as he not only reveled in the warm lips on his throat but the hard cock that now pressed against his ass. His hands found their way under Gibbs' shirt clawing at the man's chest desperate for more skin to skin contact.

Growling against Tony's neck, Gibbs thrust his hips up causing another moan to drip from Tony's lips.

It still amazed and elated Tony how hard Gibbs got from just the slightest provocation from him. _He loves you that's why._ The though rushed through Tony's mind followed by another. _He trusts you._ He shook his head trying to eradicate the thoughts and focus on the rocking of Gibbs' hips. It didn't help, his mind refused to focus on anything but- "Jethro wait." He put his hands against Gibbs' chest and pushed himself away.

"What's wrong?" Gibbs asked through jagged breath.

Tony sighed. "I can't."

"I thought you wanted this?"

"I do, it's not that I can't, I just need-" Tony blew out a long breath. "I need to tell you something, about earlier."

"About your dad?"

"Sorta, kinda."

Gibbs sighed. "Can't it wait?"

"No, it can't." Tony chewed at his lower lip for a moment. "This is um, about um-"

"Tony."

"It's about what my dad wanted me to see." Oh God was he really going to tell Gibbs about Ziva? "Or more about who he wanted me to see."

Gibbs stared at Tony waiting for the explanation. Finally he rolled his eyes. "And?"

"He saw Ziva at the bar he was having a drink at." Tony paused. "She wasn't alone. She was with the person she's been dating."

Gibbs snickered. "So what, was he jealous?"

"No." Tony chuckled nervously. "Surprised."

"Did he know the guy?"

"Noooo." Tony shook his head as he drew out the answer. "It wasn't a guy."

"Ziva's dating a woman?" There wasn't even a hint of surprise in Gibbs' voice.

"Yeah." The word came out elongated.

Gibbs shrugged. "We both know she's been with women before."

"We do." Tony nodded. "But dating a woman isn't the shocking part…it's who the woman is?"

"Someone we know?"

"Oh yeah." Tony nodded repeatedly. "You just happen to know her _very_ well."

Gibbs brow furrowed.

Taking a deep breath, Tony spewed it out. "Ziva's dating Diane."

Silence.

"And yes _that_ Diane."

"Ziva." Gibbs pronounced each word slowly. "Is dating my ex-wife?"

"She thinks she's in love with her." Might as well lay it all out there. "And she thinks Diane is in love with her.

"In love." Gibbs paused. "With Diane?"

"Yes." Now that Tony's mouth was going he couldn't stop. "She didn't want me to tell you but I had to, I couldn't keep something like that from you. I was gonna try, but-" He groaned. "How the hell can I not tell you something like that, if it was just some random woman it would be different but Diane. I mean the woman has been through half of the federal government." Tony's eyes went wide. "Oh God maybe she's working her way back through the government agents going after women this time. I mean she started at NCIS with you. Oh Fornell's gonna freak. I mean he really hates Diane." Tony shrugged. "I know you hate her, but Fornell _really_ hates her and what about Victor?" His brow furrowed. "What happened with Victor anyway? I thought they were working it out, obviously he was not what Diane wanted." He gave Gibbs a look. "Did you know Diane was into women? I mean she ever give you any indication? She ever want a threesome with another woman or did she want-"

"No." Gibbs practically growled.

"Right." Tony cleared his throat. "Not really important." They stayed there in silence for a few minutes until Tony finally spoke again. "Say something, anything. Are you angry, disappointed…happy?"

"Why didn't she come to me?"

"Diane or Ziva?"

Gibbs gave Tony a glare as he shoved the younger man off of him and down onto the couch.

"Ziva, right." Tony righted himself on the couch as Gibbs sat up. "She didn't come to you because she was scared of what you would do, or say or think about it."

Tony received another glare as Gibbs picked up his jeans and pulled them on quickly.

"Hell I'm scared of what you might do." Tony stared back at Gibbs. "You're way too calm."

"She should have come to me." Gibbs rubbed his forehead. "Hell Diane should have come to me." He no more than finished the sentence and the front door opened and the woman stepped into the room.

"I'm here now."

"It's like Beetlejuice!" Tony's eyes went wide. "We said her name too many times and she appeared."

Diane rolled her eyes.

"Or in your case more like Candy Man and you're here to rip out our hearts and eat them." Tony said it with a sarcastic smile.

"No matter how many times you called my name." She folded her arms across her chest and smirked. "I wouldn't come."

Tony's eyebrow went up at the double entendre then he shivered. "That is wrong on sooo many levels."

Shaking her head she ignored Tony's comment and looked at Gibbs a seriousness on her face. "Jethro can we talk, please."

"I can just-"

"Stay." Gibbs said cutting Tony off with his usual Agent authority. Then he hooked his finger towards Diane and headed through the kitchen to the basement. He didn't look to see if she followed, he knew she would. When his feet touched the cement floor of the basement, he took the last few steps to the table in the middle of the room and leaned back against it looking at the woman before him. "Why are you here?"

"I knew Mister Chatter box wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut and I wanted to explain."

"And Ziva?"

"She doesn't know I'm here." Diane took a strategic position across from Gibbs by the work bench. "She wanted to call you tomorrow and come talk."

He nodded slightly. "How long?"

"Jethro it just hap-"

"How long?" He yelled not surprised when the woman didn't even flinch at the anger in his voice. She'd been through this before, many times.

"A few months, it just happened. We were friends and…" She took a breath. "At some point it became more."

He glared at her. The woman was obsessed with dates, she knew birthdays, anniversaries, deaths, graduations and every other date that was important to the people in her life. So she sure as hell knew when her relationship with Ziva changed.

"Fine, three months and twenty six days ago." She glared back. "Happy now?"

"Not really." Gibbs snapped.

"Ziva wanted to tell you, it was just hard."

"Hard?"

"Because of you, because of this." She waved her hands towards him. "Your reaction. You're like a father to her, even more than that, you're like some omnipotent being." She shook her head. "She doesn't want to upset you. Can you imagine having to tell your father you're dating his ex-wife?"

"No." Gibbs shook his head. "Because I wouldn't do it in the first place."

"I'm sure you have some rule for this situation." She rolled her eyes annoyed.

"A few."

"Well I hate to tell you, but this isn't about you or your rules." She snapped. "We weren't thinking about you, or conspiring to hurt you, we were just friends, that's all. The rest just happened."

"Nothing just happens with you Diane." The woman was calculating, it was always a chess game with her.

"You still see me as some calculating bitch." She shook her head. "I thought we were past that."

Folding his arms across his chest, Gibbs stared at the woman that used to be his wife. "You stood here and told me I was your Shannon, then came here after that joint case still expecting some change between us. What am I supposed to think?"

"That situations change, life changes, people change. I've changed." She took a deep breath and let it out. "And part of that change is because of Ziva." She walked to the table beside him and picked at a loose sliver of wood. "I love you Jethro and a part of me always will." She glanced up at him. "But I'm not in love with you." She saw the blue eyes searching hers. "I'm in love with Ziva and I will do whatever it takes not to lose her."

"I've heard that before."

She threw her hands up in anger and annoyance as she paced the floor. "What do you want Jethro blood? Here." She held out her arm before him. "Have it, pick up a damn chisel or whatever tool you want and take it."

His eyes narrowed as he studied the woman before him contemplating the offer.

"I'm not walking away from her because you have an issue with this." Her shoulders went back and she stood at her full height. "She's the best thing that has ever happened to me and I will _fight_ for that."

Gibbs saw the determination in the woman's eyes, he'd seen it countless times when they were married, during the divorce and when their paths crossed. When Diane wanted something, she went after it whole-heartedly and didn't quit. It was one of the few things he admired about her.

Her arm gradually fell to her side and she sighed. "Don't make her choose Jethro, it's not fair to her to have to choose between the man she sees as a father and the woman she loves."

"I would never ask her to make that choice."

"Are you sure? Because she thinks you would." Leaning back against the table beside him she could feel the tension in his body radiating around her. "You know I actually wanted to let her talk to you first, because I knew."

"Knew what?"

She peered over at Gibbs. "She'd choose me."

Gibbs turned to meet her gaze.

"For the first time in my life, I knew that if you forced her to make a choice. It would be me." She rubbed her arms as if cold. "She's the first person who has loved me enough to put me ahead of everything, even you." Unable to hold his gaze, she stared over at the work bench. "You would have always chosen your job, Shannon, Kelly. Tobias chose his job and everyone else. Victor chose his job, his family, everything but me. Ziva." She shook her head. "Puts me first, which is all I've ever wanted, from anyone. And I will always put her first."

This was not how he expected this conversation to go. He expected an angry exchange, not Diane rationally professing her love for Ziva.

"We can't decide who we love, it just happens." She turned towards Gibbs. "You better than anyone can understand that."

He rubbed his forehead.

"Please, I knew you wanted him that first day I saw you together during Victor's kidnapping." The half smirk appeared on her face involuntarily. "And I knew he wanted you when he asked what I did to get you to marry me."

His eyebrow went up. "What?"

"I started to tell him, but you interrupted."

He rolled his eyes. Of course Tony would ask something inappropriate like that.

"And at the bar tonight, when he was so adamant about Ziva telling you and that he couldn't and wouldn't keep it from you because he couldn't see you until you knew." She laughed. "I realized something had finally happened between you two."

"He's loyal."

"Yes he is." Diane had seen Tony's loyalty to Gibbs first hand, several times. "But he's also loyal to Ziva, but lovers trump friends, at least for a man who is desperately in love with you." She wasn't surprised by his silence or lack of confirmation. "You deserve happiness Jethro. I'm glad you finally found that again."

Again he searched her eyes for any hint of sarcasm.

"Although-" She gave him a full smirk. "Pretty boys are such high maintenance. Gucci, Ferragamo, Louboutin, and Dior. A far cry from Carhartt. Can't wait until he starts wanting you to wear designer clothes."

He let out a slight chuckled.

"And the endless popculture references." She rolled her eyes. "Do you even know who Beetlejuice or Candy Man are?"

"No." He snickered

She touched his shoulder. "But none of it matters. You love him because of all that and he loves you in spite of the divorces, the second B is for bastard, and all the other baggage you have. Just like Ziva loves me in spite of everything."

He gave a slight nod. Why was he so calm about this?

"He's a good influence on you." She hadn't heard Jethro speak this much since they were first married. "You two are like some weird yin and yang, alike but so different." She shrugged. "Probably why it's worked for so long."

He gave her a puzzled look.

"Your "relationship" with Tony is the longest relationship you've ever had, doesn't take a genius to figure out it's because you've always loved him."

"We're talking about you and Ziva."

"No, we're talking about love." She couldn't help but laugh. "And we are both drowning in it."

Again he didn't respond.

Leaving the stability of the table, she stopped in front of Gibbs. "I love her Jethro, I wouldn't be here if I wasn't sure."

He nodded. "I know."

"I know you don't like it and I'm not asking you to." She wanted him to understand what she was willing to do for Ziva. "I promise to keep my distance from you, I'll avoid you like the plague whenever possible. All I'm asking is that you let her know it doesn't change anything between the two of you."

He gave her the Gibbs half nod.

She gave him a heartfelt smile. "Thank you." That was all she needed to know, she made her way to the steps and started her ascent.

"Diane."

She paused a few steps from the top and turned to look down at Gibbs.

"I would never turn my back on Ziva, no matter who she loved." There was a slight pause. "And I'm glad you're happy."

With a nod, she took the final steps and walked out the door. When she made her way into the kitchen and the living room came into view, Tony jumped up from the couch.

"Oh relax, Mister Jumpy." She waved her hand at him. "I didn't rip his heart out, eat it and chop him into little pieces. He's alive and well."

"Good to hear."

"I'd need at least two hours to do all that." She had a reputation to maintain after all.

"Funny thing is I'm not sure you're joking about that." His eyebrow went up. "Maybe you're more the Hannibal Lecter type. Eat his liver with some fava beans."

With an eye roll she shook her head. "Seriously, what do you two talk about after the sex?"

"He told you?"

"He didn't need to." She glanced at his now shirt covered upper body. "You were shirtless when I got here. You were both disheveled and shoeless." She smirked. "Jethro only takes his shoes off for two reasons."

"True." Tony nodded. Sex or a shower those were the only reason the man took off his shoes. When he slept on the couch he always had his shoes on, always be prepared.

"That will change now, because of you." She'd been married to Gibbs long enough to know his habits. "The bed will be made all the time now because he has a reason to sleep in it again." When she didn't receive any response she chuckled. "It was just a friendly observation."

"You being friendly to me? Kinda hinky."

"Still wanna know what I did to get Jethro?"

"Oh God no!" Tony put up his hands in front of himself like a shield. "Please no."

"You probably already know, already done it for him."

"Not listening!" He stuck his fingers in his ears and closed his eyes. "Lalalalalala."

"What does he see in you?" She shook her head. "You must be one hell of a lay."

He pulled his fingers from his ears and glared at her.

"Glare still needs some work."

"What does Ziva see in you that everyone else doesn't?"

She raised an eyebrow and smirked.

His whole body shivered. "Pretend I didn't ask."

"Funny I'd have thought you'd jump at the chance to hear about two women." She folded her arms across her chest and grinned. "Then again maybe that was all just an act for Jethro's benefit."

"And what about you?" Tony mirrored her stance. "Is caring about Ziva just an act to piss him off?"

"Please." She rolled her eyes.

"Well is it? You've already worked your way through the alphabet of the federal government, did you decide to come back to where it started and work your way through again, this time in the fish pool."

"Wow, you sound like every one of my ex-husbands." She laughed. "As if everything I do is just to piss them off."

"Seems to be your MO." He cocked his head. "What did happen with Victor? He get tired of your shit too and kick you to the curb?"

"Did you finally screw the last available woman in DC and have to switch to men?"

"At least I picked a man smart enough to throw your ass out!"

"At least I'm with a woman smart enough not to have fallen for your cheesy pick up line."

"How drunk was Jethro when he married you?"

"How drunk was he when he thought it was a good idea to screw you?"

"Why don't you crawl back under your rock!"

"Why don't you-"

"Stop it!"

They both stopped, their heads snapping sideway to look at the woman who had just walked into the house.

Ziva glared back and forth between the two of them. "What the hell is going on?"

"She started it!"

"He started it!"

They said it in unison.

"I don't care who started it. It's over." Ziva shouted then looked at Diane. "Him I expected this from, you should know better."

"Ziva I'm-"

"I knew you would come here." Ziva hissed. "I told you I would talk to Gibbs."

"I knew Mr. Blabbermouth wouldn't be able to keep quiet." Diane pointed at Tony as she spoke to Ziva. "And I was right."

Ziva glared at Tony. "I said I would tell him. I asked you to give me time."

"Time?" Tony barked. "Time for what. You should have told him the minute this-" He waved his hands between the two women. "Became whatever it is."

"What it is, is a relationship, although I know that's a hard concept for you to understand!" Ziva snipped.

Tony's eyes widened then narrowed into an animalistic glare. "Oh and Medusa over here is the poster woman for successful relationships? Did you forget she's married and divorced most of the alphabet gang?" He cocked his head. "And what about you, the last real relationship you had was with CIA Ray and we know how that ended don't we?"

Ziva yelled something at him in Hebrew then it became a free for all. All three of them shouting and yelling at each other.

"HEY!"

The word rang through the screaming and all three people stopped all of them familiar with the commanding voice behind the word.

"You." Gibbs looked at Diane. "Out, go home or wherever."

"You can't just-"

"Go home or to your car. I don't care." Gibbs stated coldly.

Diane glanced at Ziva and saw the woman's slight nod. She turned and started slowly towards the door.

"You." Gibbs looked at Tony. "Upstairs and close the door behind you."

"But-" The icy glare Tony received made him close his mouth. He made his way to the stairs stomping like a five-year old.

It wasn't until Gibbs heard Tony stomp into the bedroom and close the door that he looked at Ziva.

"I should have told you." The words spewed from Ziva's lips before Gibbs could even think about saying anything. "I wanted to I just did not know how." She started to pace. "How was I supposed to tell you I am dating your ex-wife? A woman you and Fornell call the spawn of Satan. Part of me did not want to tell you because I thought it was just a fling, that it was just an experiment for her and comfort for me." She shook her head as she continued to pace. "When I realized it was more than that for me I still was not sure what she felt. When she told me she loved me I just…"

He saw the soft warm smile play across Ziva's lips.

"I wanted to savor it and-" She paused in her pacing but didn't look at Gibbs. Instead she looked at the front window. "I did not want to have to explain or justify it to anyone." She glanced at Gibbs. "Especially not you."

Again she started pacing and the explanation continued.

"I did not come to you sooner because I knew what you would say." She shook her head and spoke in a Gibbs like voice. "There are rules when you are on this team. Conduct that needs to be followed and abided by. You need to wake up and look at the evidence around you. You know the kind of woman she is, what she has done to the people around here." She dropped the Gibbs voice. "Then you would ask me to choose and I did not want to have to have to make that choice." Stopping in front of Gibbs she tried to hold back the emotion. "I cannot be expected to choose between the man who has always been a father to me and the woman I love." Taking a deep breath she swallowed the emotion as she fought back the tears. "I do not expected to change your mind about her or expect you to become best friends." She sighed. "But she is not the same woman you married or that Fornell married. She is different, she has made changes in her life to try and finally be happy. She is warm and loving, giving and supportive, and most of all committed to me." She squared her shoulders. "And I am committed to her and not you or Tony or anyone else is going to change that. If that means I leave the team, then so be it." She let out a sad breath. "By not telling you, I did not have to make that choice."

Taking a step towards her, his eyes were narrowed. "I do have rules and I expect them to be followed."

"And that's why I did not come to you." She snapped. "I did not want a lecture or to be told who I could and could not see like you did with Tony and EJ."

"Different situation, different extenuating circumstances." Gibbs said through gritted teeth. He tried to erase that night, that conversation from his mind, he hated being reminded of times when he allowed his emotions to dictate his actions.

"Tony may have broken rule twelve, but I am in love with your ex-wife, that has to be worse?"

_You'd be wrong._ Gibbs thought to himself. "You assumed an awful lot."

She drew her head back. "So you are not upset?"

"Of course I'm upset." Gibbs snapped. "You lied to me."

"I never lied to you!" Ziva barked back. "You never asked about who I was seeing."

"You should have come to me!" He yelled pointing at her. "You should have respected me enough to tell me the truth and let me tell you exact how I felt about the situation." He pointed at her. "You shouldn't have assumed you knew how I would react."

"Fine! Tell me!" She threw her hands up. "Tell me that I screwed up, that I did not think about how this would make you feel, that I am making a terrible mistake! Tell me I have to choose, that I cannot be a part of this team and be in love with her!" She felt the hand smack the back of her head and her eyes went wide.

"Enough." He said in his best fatherly tone. "You ask me to tell you how I feel about this and then continue to assume you know. Now shut up and listen." He saw the frightened childlike look in her eyes and was reminded of how much she truly did see him as a father, desperately needing his approval. "I'm not upset about Diane, I'm upset that you feel you couldn't come to me." His eyes softened. "Our relationship is what matters, what I care about." Her gaze faltered a moment. "I don't have to approve of or like who you love. What I do have to do is trust your choice and I can't do that unless you talk to me." He took a breath and blew it out. "Ziver I would never ask you to choose between me and anyone you loved. Never."

Her bottom lip quivered as the tears involuntarily started to fall.

"All I need to know is your happy and treated right." He shook his head. "That's all that matters to me. Understood?"

She nodded.

Reaching out he squeezed her thumb and she collapsed against him. He held her as she cried against his chest. Placing a kiss on the top of her head he sighed. "Are you happy?" He felt her nod her head. "Is she good to you?" Another nod. "Good. Then I'm happy for you."

She picked up her head and felt his arms release her. Stepping back, she wiped at her cheeks. "I know you dislike her, but-"

"Ziver." He groaned.

"Thank you."

"We're family."

She nodded.

"There's something I need to tell you." He ran his hands through his hair. "Tony and I-"

"I know."

"Of course you do." He rolled his eyes. Diane wouldn't keep something like that to herself.

"I am surprised." She shrugged. "More so about Tony than you."

His eyebrow went up.

"I did not think he had it in him." She smirked.

His eyes narrowed into a glare. "You shouldn't believe everything she tells you about me."

"She was just telling me that you like-"

"Ziver." He hissed.

"Your secret is safe with me." She pretended to zip her lip as she grinned. She folded her arms across her chest and raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you happy?"

"Very."

"Does he treat you right?"

"Yes he does."

"Then that's all that matters." She kissed his cheek. "I am happy for you both."

"For the record I don't hate Diane." He slow deep breath. For a long time he hated her, but the hate and deminished over the years "But the relationship is complicated."

"Because she told you, you where her Shannon?"

His eyebrow went up slightly, surprised that Diane had told Ziva about that conversation. "That's part of it."

"It was a messy divorce, she was angry, you were angry."

"Understatement." He scoffed.

"She told me about all of it." She paused. "She loved you, she was hurt."

"I know."

"You did not love her and you were hurt for other reasons." Everyone on the team knew why his marriages hadn't worked. He was still in love with and mourning Shannon. You can't love someone else when you are holding onto a memory of another.

"I liked her." He sighed.

"It was not met to be. You were met for someone else." She smiled softly. "Just as she was."

"Yeah." Although at the time, he truly believed he would never love anyone again…at least not the way he loved Shannon. After his divorce from Stephanie, he just gave up trying.

"Did you always know?" She asked in a quite calm voice afraid the question was too personal and he wouldn't answer.

He shrugged. "I knew a lot of things, but I didn't face them."

She looked at him with an oddly confused expression trying to read the man that in most cases was completely unreadable. However, this time she saw the emotion behind the eyes. He'd lost someone else he loved, a man. Her eyes widened. "You were afraid to come out?" Gibbs being afraid of something seemed unbelievable even as she said it.

"Afraid isn't exactly the right word." He didn't really know what the right word was in that situation.

She nodded knowing Gibbs well enough not to push. "I should go so you and Tony can-" She left the rest of the sentence fall off.

"One more thing." His blue eyes narrowed and he folded his arms across his chest. "Tell your girlfriend, anything that went on between the two of us when we were married, stays between the two of us."

Ziva couldn't help the slight smirk that curled at the corner of her lip.

"And I mean it."

"She only told me about that one thing because-" She stopped as his glare intensified. "Right."

"And that thing was her ideal not mine."

"Of course." She said with a wink and started towards the door. Pausing she turned back and looked at Gibbs. "And tell your boyfriend anything that went on between the two of us, stays between the two of us."

His arms fell from his chest and he cocked his head.

"Then again, maybe he should tell you." She gave him a wicked smile then continued to the door.

When he heard it close, his brow furrowed. There were always rumors about Tony and Ziva, but he never believed any of them. Rumors around the office are usually just rumors. He shook his head, it was just Ziva messing with him. As if her and Diane being in love wasn't enough to deal with right now_. Let it go._ He told himself. She was just trying to get under his skin. He took a deep breath and ran his hands down his face. Whatever Tony did with anyone in the past was the past, it didn't matter. Dropping his head back he sighed. "Son of a bitch."


	18. Chapter 18

Have a wonderful end of the week and a great weekend everyone. Thanks so much for all the reviews, sorry I haven't had time to respond will try to catch up on that soon.

As always, thanks to Srienia my wonderful beta reader :)

** ##########**

He'd been pacing the floor since he entered the bedroom, pacing and trying to listen. Some of the conversation he could hear, not hard to hear when people are yelling, but then the conversation became just a whisper. He wasn't sure if that was good or bad sign. As the door opened, he stopped and looked at Gibbs with overwhelming concern.

"You okay?"

Gibbs nodded leaning against the door frame.

"Ziva okay?"

Another nod.

"Then why do you look like you're about to walk into interrogation and rip someone apart with your bare hands?"

Gibbs just shook his head. "It's nothing." He walked into the room stopping before Tony and letting his finger trace a path down the Italian's jaw.

"If you need some time after all this, I understand." Tony could tell something was wrong. Gibbs body language, the look in his eyes, even the way Gibbs' touch felt. "I can leave you alone."

"I'm fine."

"You're not fine. If you were fine you'd already be kissing me." He rolled his eyes. "What did the she demon say to piss you off?"

"Nothing." Gibbs shook his head trying to remove the question from his mind.

"Oh Diane definitely said something." Only Diane could get under Gibbs' skin like this. "Is this about me asking her how she got you to marry her because it was stupid to ask I know, but I just couldn't understand how-"

"It's not about that or Diane. It's…"

"It's what?" A worried look settled on Tony's face. "Jethro what is it?"

"Did something happen between you and Ziva?"

"What?" Tony was completely taken aback. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"Simple yes or no question."

Tony shook his head completely dumbfounded. "No." He folded his arms across his chest. "Is that a simple enough answer for you?"

"Yeah." Gibbs tried to make it sound convincing. He knew he shouldn't doubt Tony, but when it came to emotions, especially love, his jealousy always seemed to override his rational thinking.

"Do you honestly thinking I would keep something like that from you?"

"No." Gibbs groaned running his hands down his face.

"What the hell did Ziva say to you?" Diane saying something against him was one thing, but Tony never thought Ziva would say anything to Gibbs about him and especially not that something had happened between them.

Gibbs blew out a breath. "She made a comment about something that happened between Diane and me. So I told her to tell her girlfriend that what happened between us while we were married stayed between us."

"And what did she say?"

"That the same went for what happened between you and her." He paused. "Then she said maybe I should ask you about it."

Tony drew his head back. "Nothing happened between us." He tried to rack his brain for what she could have been hinting at to Gibbs. Sure they were close, friends, nothing more. He knew about the rumors that circulated around NCIS, but they were completely untrue. Then it hit him and he winced. "Son of a bitch." He ran his hands through his hair and started to laugh. He shook his head and looked at Gibbs, the laughter fading when he saw the questioning glare he was receiving. "Jethro it wasn't what you're thinking." Tony snickered. "It was…we were drunk."

_Great._ Gibbs rolled his eyes. It's never good when someone starts the explanation with we were drunk.

"Seriously!" Tony scowled. "Do you want me to explain or do you want to continue to think the worst?"

Gibbs sighed.

"We were at her place, a Friday night after work, drinking, trying to forget whatever insane case we'd been working on." He rubbed his forehead. "She asked me a question and-" He rolled his eyes. "It was embarrassing and I tried to forget about it."

"Embarrassing?"

"Yes embarrassing." Tony laughed again. "She wanted me to have to tell you this." He clenched his fist and held it in front of his mouth. "Oh I am so going to get her back for this."

"Tony." Gibbs barked.

"Fine." Tony let his plan for revenge recess to the back of his mind. "She asked me if I had ever had any kind of sexual thoughts about a man."

It was Gibbs turn to be taken aback. "Why would she ask you that?"

"We were talking about the woman I had just broken up with." Tony rolled his eyes. "And I made the comment I was gonna give up on finding the right woman." He shrugged. "That was when she asked me."

"And you said no."

Tony nodded. "At first, but she kept harping on it changing the way she asked." He started repeating all the questions she asked. "Had I ever thought about having sex with a man? Had I ever thought about giving a man a blow job or getting one from a man? Then she started to hit on things I had thought about. Have you ever thought about kissing a man, making out with a man, or even touching a man in any way?" He shook his head. "Finally I said yes I had thought about kissing and making out with a man but that was as far the thought had ever went."

"Why is that embarrassing?"

"That's not the embarrassing part." Tony put his head back and groaned, then looked back at Gibbs. "She asked me to tell her about it. Not who it was, just what I had thought about."

"Did you?"

"Yeah." Tony smiled as he laid his hand on Gibbs' chest. "I told her almost exactly what I told you. How I thought about kissing a man's lips, him kissing me, all of it."

"I get it." Gibbs knew Tony had been uncomfortable about his feelings, not really admitting them until after this had all started.

"No you don't." Tony chuckled nervously. "I wasn't embarrassed about admitting what I had thought about." He took a deep breath and let it out, dropping his shoulders. "The embarrassing part was the reaction I had while I was telling her about it."

Gibbs' brow furrowed for a moment then his eyes widened and slowly a smirk spread across his face. "You got-"

"A hard on when while I was telling her about it." Tony felt his face flush.

Gibbs' arm snaked around Tony's waist drawing the younger man to him. "And how did you explain that?"

Tony smirked. "Fatigue and booze."

"Hmp" Gibbs nodded letting his hand slide down and cup Tony's ass pressing their bodies together. He grinned to himself when he felt Tony's already hard cock start to rub against his crotch. "Fatigue and booze? That's all it takes? You've been here in that state before."

"Yeah. I have."

Leaning forward, Gibbs whispered in Tony's ear. "You never got hard…believe me I would have notice." Pulling back his blue eyes locked on Tony's.

"You also never asked if I had ever thought about a man."

"So she realized now you were thinking about me."

"I never said I was thinking about you when I was talking to Ziva." Tony smirked.

"No, you didn't." Gibbs thrust his own hard cock against Tony's eliciting a moan from the younger man. He withdrew something from Tony's back pocket then shoved Tony down onto the bed.

Gibbs held up Tony's phone and pushing a button turning the power off. "No more interruptions." The screen on the phone turned black and he dropped the phone to the floor.

Tony glanced at the phone on the floor then back to Gibbs. "What happened to never be unreachable?"

"You only need to be reachable by one person." Gibbs' hissed as he crawled up Tony's body, his fingers starting to unbutton his lover's shirt. "Me."

"I see." Tony sighed. "And where's your phone?"

"I have no idea." Gibbs shrugged. The shirt parted slightly as the last button slipped apart and his cool fingers made contact with the warm skin of Tony's stomach.

Tony's head dropped back, his hips arched as the touch ignited the fire within him.

Gibbs' fingers brushed against the button of Tony's pants sending a shiver down the body beneath him. He popped the button free then slowly slid the zipper down over the bulge. "So who were you thinking about that night?"

"Jethro." Tony purred as Gibbs' lips placed a warm kiss on his stomach.

"So you were thinking about me?" Gibbs said while kissing up Tony's chest.

"Yes." Never had anyone been able to affect him so easily and quickly. "God yes. You're the only man I've ever thought about and ever will." He felt the animalistic growl against his chest as the jeans were roughly tugged down his hips.

Reaching Tony's neck, Gibbs stared down into the lust filled green eyes. "Do you know the moment I knew, really knew, I was in loved you?" Gibbs asked trailing a finger up the younger man's exposed torso.

"Baltimore." Tony recalled Gibbs' comment from earlier.

"No." Gibbs shook his head. "I did love you then, but I didn't really know it until later."

"When?"

"It was on a case." Gibbs sighed. "A long time ago." His hands scaled their way up Tony's ribcage then back down. "You were undercover. Chained to Jeffrey White. It should have been routine."

Tony remembered the case all too well. The GPS in his shoe that had stopped working, the cabin, calling Gibbs repeatedly and hanging up, the meet, and Jeffrey White pulling a knife on him.

"I knew you could handle yourself."

Tony raised his hips letting Gibbs tug the pants down to his knees. His hard cock springing free and he used his feet to push the jeans the rest of the way off his body.

Gibbs glanced down at Tony's cock and licked his lips. "But when we realized White was the one that had done the killing." He let his fingers travel up Tony's thighs and watched the cock twitch before him. "I started to worry." He shook his head. "It shouldn't have taken me so long to figure out the hang up calls were from you."

"Jethro." He brushed the back of his hand against Gibbs' cheek.

Kissing the hand, Gibbs shook his head. "When we pulled up and I saw you in that car...head down all I could think was-" His voice cracked with emotion. "I lost the man I loved, the one person I knew could make me happy. My heart stopped. The world crashed in around me and I didn't know how I would deal with something like that..again."

"I didn't realize-"

"When I opened that door and you picked your head up and looked at me-" The memory alone made Gibbs' heart beat violently against his chest. "It took every ounce of control I had not to take you in my arms and tell you how I felt."

"You never showed that."

"I know." Gibbs' fingers danced across Tony's stomach. "I've become very skilled at hiding how I feel."

Taking Gibbs' face with both hands, Tony stared into Gibbs' blue eyes. "I never want you to hide how you feel about anything from me. Whether it's good or bad, we'll deal with it."

"I won't." It was a promise without saying the word and Gibbs always kept his promises. Taking Tony's hands from his face he placed them at the man's sides. Standing up, Gibbs pulled off his shirt and dropped it to the floor.

Tony watched as Gibbs' pants followed and he gazed at the naked man with wanton need.

Gibbs grabbed something from the bedside table and placed it on the bed. He leered down the naked body laid out before him and his cock twitched with anticipation. "You are...gorgeous." Involuntarily his hand went to his hard cock giving it a few long slow strokes.

"Jethro."

Gibbs' eyes closed for a moment and he took a slow deep breath in and out savoring the way his name sounded falling from the lips of the man he loved. As his eyes opened only a halo of blue remained. "Roll over."

Staring up at Gibbs, Tony felt his heart skin a beat, but complied. The bed shifted and he felt the warmth of the body above him then the knee pushing his legs open. He parted his legs and his body quivered when warm lips made contact with the small of his back.

Excruciatingly slow, Gibbs kissed his way up Tony's spine memorizing the taste and feel of the skin under his lips while his hands explored the taut muscles of Tony's back and shoulders.

Tony's body arched as Gibbs reached the center of his back and he felt Gibbs hard cock rub against his ass. Tony's eyes closed as he relished the gentle touch over his body. It still amazed him how gentle Gibbs could be when they made love. Gibbs was right. Tony had this idea of what the gruff, always in control, older man would be like when they were together, but so far it was nothing like he expected. He expected a roughness, a demanding desire, a man that was more interested in the act than what led to it. Instead Gibbs was gentle, demanding only in the desire for more exploration, more closeness, more understanding of exactly what Tony wanted. Even now when Tony had told him openly he wanted Gibbs in control the man was taking his time, building the need within both of them. He suddenly wondered if that would change after this, after they took the final step in their sexual relationship. The whole thought process confused him. Part of him wanted, even longed for that rough demanding man he expected, but part of him feared losing the tender lover that had captured his heart.

"I can be both."

Tony whimpered as the words caressed against his ear as if Gibbs had heard every word he was thinking. The sudden smack on his left butt cheek made him jump and jarred him from his thoughts.

"I've wanted to do that for a long time."

"I've been a bad, bad boy." Tony sighed breathlessly.

"Yes you have." Gibbs nipped at Tony's earlobe

"Do you wanna turn me over your knee?" As Tony said it he thrust his ass upward.

"Don't tempt me." Gibbs growled smacking Tony's ass again causing the younger man to moan.

"I like tempting you." Tony whispered softly almost believing Gibbs might actual do it.

"Oh I know." Gibbs hissed grabbing his cock and shoving it between Tony's ass cheeks jabbing the head against Tony's tight virgin ring. The body under him tensed causing Tony's ass to squeeze his cock. His eyes closed and his hands clutched at Tony's hips as a surge of pleasure shot through him. He pressed down against Tony letting the younger man feel the weight of his body. "Be glad I have that gentle side." Gibbs growled into Tony's ear. "Or I'd already be fucking you raw."

Tony's fingers fisted into the sheet as his body trembled.

"Or maybe that's what you want." Gibbs stabbed his cock hard against Tony's sphincter. "You did say you just wanted me to take you that you didn't wanna have to think about it." Again Tony's body trembled. "But what fun would that be?" His hand massaged Tony's ass. "Because then I wouldn't be able to have you again for weeks. On your back." He commanded as he slid off of Tony's body.

As Tony rolled onto his back, Gibbs was immediately on him again. A knee parted his legs, a hand clawed its way up his chest, and hungry eyes stared down at him. He instinctively opened his legs wider and saw the smirk curl up the corners of Gibbs' lips.

"So eager." Gibbs brushed his thumb over Tony's left nipple making the man arch under him. Glancing down at Tony's cock, Gibbs sighed as he looked back down into the green eyes. "Already dripping."

Tony's mouth fell open in a silent gasp as Gibbs ran a finger over the head of his cock then watched as the older man brought it to his lips licking it clean.

Smashing his mouth down onto Tony's, Gibbs growled into the kiss as Tony willingly parted his lips tasting himself. Tony pried his hand from the sheet and clutched at the back of Gibbs' head wanting more, wanting it to never end. He tried desperately to hold onto the kiss as Gibbs' hands explore his body, but when Gibbs' fingers whispered up the length of his cock his head fell back ripping their lips apart in the process. "Please!" Tony whimpered not even sure what he was asking for with the word.

"Oh I'm just getting started." Gibbs said descending to Tony's throat, attacking the man relentlessly with a mix of kisses, licks and teasing bites. Wrapping his hand around the base of Tony's cock he stroked over its length drawing a string of grunts and groans from the younger man.

Tony's hand clamped onto Gibbs' bicep feeling the muscles contract under his fingers as Gibbs worked over his cock. Torture, that's what this was, the grip around his cock slack and the movement up and down staying within the center of his length. Gibbs was torturing him, the pace meant to keep him on the edge.

"Do you want more?" Gibbs whispered in Tony's ear.

"Yes." Tony panted desperate for Gibbs to quicken the pace. Instead the hand left his cock causing him to whine. "Please." Lost in the lust filled need, he didn't hear the pop of the cap, didn't realize any of it until he felt the pressure against his sphincter and instinctively his muscles tensed against the pending intrusion.

Gibbs' finger traced gentle circles around the tight opening spreading lube as it went and forcing Tony's body to relax. Gradually he felt Tony settle and the tension leave the body under him. Only then did he slowly breech his prize letting his finger slip inside to the second knuckle. He heard the younger man's sharp intake of breath and then another as he slipped his finger the rest of the way inside. The muscle tightened around his finger and he growled at the thought of his cock replacing the digit. Drawing back he looked down at his lover, the normally sparkling green eyes now almost black with desire. "Okay?"

Giving a quick nod, Tony clasped the side of Gibbs' neck and jerked the older man down smashing their lips together in a demanding kiss. His tongue forced its way across Gibbs' lips exploring and tasting every minute piece of the older man's mouth. Lost in the passion of the kiss, he didn't even realize he had started to rock his hips in rhythm with the in and out motion of Gibbs' finger. All he knew was his body was on fire and he wanted, no need more…more of everything Gibbs wanted to give and take from him. It wasn't until he felt the pressure and a second finger enter him that he let his lips leave Gibbs, moaning with a mix of pleasure and apprehension.

Gibbs gaze traveled down Tony's body and watched as his fingers worked in and out, then scissored back and forth opening his lover even more. The younger man's cock twitched repeatedly. When he finally pulled his gaze from the mesmerizing sight, he met the green eyes again.

"Like what you see?" Tony sighed breathlessly. Surprised at how turned on Gibbs was just from this.

"You naked in my bed, my fingers buried inside you, your cock dripping." Gibbs hissed. "I love what I see." He placed a soft kiss on Tony's forehead then gaze down at the man he loved. "Ready?"

"For wh-" The words became a cry, when Gibbs thrust his fingers inside and made contact with Tony's prostate. The surge of pleasure flooded Tony's body in waves causing him to tremble uncontrollable. Then he was flying, soaring through a sea of colors until he crashed back into reality…the soft bed beneath him, the warm body hovering over him, his hands clawing desperately into Gibbs' back for stability.

A second later, Gibbs sent Tony flying yet again, his fingers expertly working to not only drive his lover mad with desire but to prepare him for the even greater pleasure that was to follow.

Again and again, Tony's body was pushed to the edge only to be yanked back before he could find release. It was the most blissful torture he'd ever received and he begged over and over for more. He was still begging even after Gibbs' fingers left him and the body above him shifted. Another pop of the cap and a slicking noise. Then it was there again, the gently pressure against the now open muscle. His eyes fluttered open and locked on his lover. Pulling his knees up, Tony grasp Gibbs' hips.

With a slight push forward the head of Gibbs' cock slipped inside the warmth of Tony's body. He heard the slight hiss and the sting of Tony's fingers digging into his flesh. "Tony?"

"I'm okay." Tony panted as the burning he initial felt started to subside and he tightened around the cock inside him.

The intensity of the feeling made Gibbs drop his head to Tony's shoulder as he struggled to calm the growing need to ravage the man. _Slow and gentle._ That's what he kept repeating to himself a Mantra to remind himself that this was Tony's first time.

The burning was completely gone and Tony's fingers danced up Gibbs' back as he pressed his lips against the older man's ear. "More."

Burying his head in the crook of Tony's neck, Gibbs let the weight of his body gradually draw his cock deeper into the younger man. His grip on Tony's hip tightened as his fingertips dug into the soft flesh. Suddenly his body was flush against Tony's and the warmth enveloped his entire length. He tried to take a deep breath as the yearning coursed through every fiber of his being, but he couldn't. _Too long._ It had been too long since he'd made love to someone he truly loved and the fierceness of the emotion was now threatening to consume him making him forget anything but the overwhelming hunger for the man he'd been denied for years. He tried to take another deep breath and realized what was stopping him. Without even realizing he had sank his teeth into Tony's neck and he could feel the thundering pulse against his lips. Then he felt the rocking of hips, the fingers knotted in his hair and heard the moans and groans.

"Jet."

The name drew Gibbs from the haze and he kissed the spot he had just bitten. "Still want me to take what I want?"

"Yes." Tony pleaded. "God yes." He heard the snarl as Gibbs' cock was pulled almost completely out then slammed back in again making him groan. Then a pause as if Gibbs was trying to decide if the sound was one of pleasure or pain. "Take me." Tony hissed. That was all it took. Gibbs started a steady pace of downward thrusts. Their bodies locked together, in some animalistic tryst. It was exhilarating.

A part of Gibbs still wanted to be tender, gentle to take it slow this first time and not descend into absolute madness. It was excruciating, trying to hold on to his sanity, to his control when he finally had everything he had ever wanted.

"Don't." The word came out as a gasp. "Don't hold back." Tony pleaded.

The last piece of control Gibbs had been holding onto snapped when he heard the words. An unearthly roar filled the air as he shoved Tony's knee's down against the man's shoulder and hammered deep into the man. Harder and faster, the pace almost inhuman. The new angle drove his cock against Tony's prostate and a piercing cry tore through the room.

Their bodies twisted into a tangled mess of arms and legs. The pace was fevered and without rhyme or reason. It was uncontrolled chaos and complete ecstasy. It was nothing like Tony expected. He thought he'd be more hesitant, that it would be painful that the pleasure would only come from Gibbs jerking him off. Instead he was on the verge of coming and Gibbs wasn't even touching his cock. "Oh fuck yes!"

Tony was plunged into darkness, falling faster and faster into the abyss. His body convulsed, his lungs no longer comprehended how to function, his heart tried to explode out of his chest as the orgasm threatened to consume him. "JETHRO!" He clutched at the body against him desperate for some stability in a world crumbling around him.

Gibbs' body suddenly crushed down onto Tony's as his thrusts became short and quick. His own need quickly building to an excruciatingly painful need. A second later he felt Tony's cock between them explode and the warm fluid against his stomach. Desperate for more he continued to thrust into the man, feeling the added resistance as Tony tightened around his cock. His attempts at making it last were futile as he buried himself into his lover and came collapsing onto the body beneath him.


	19. Chapter 19

Sorry it's taken so long, but I was in the process of moving and now still don't have the internet up and running at the new place. Hopefully next week the internet will be in. As always, thanks to Sriena for beta reading.

##########

Head down, hands flat against the tile wall in front of him, he let the water cascade down over his back. Muscles he hadn't thought of in years forgot he had, now made their presence known with a dull ache. He'd forgotten how amazing and powerful making love could be, but then how long had it been since he'd actually made love to someone? He already knew the answer, it was part of the reason he was standing here, hoping the scalding hot water would wash away some of the conflicting emotions tormenting him. He was blissfully happy, yet there was this overwhelming sense of grief that plagued him. It was ridiculous, he knew that. He had spent countless years grieving, but grieving and letting go of it are very different things. It was the letting go that had his mind in a war with itself over contradictingory emotions and he just wanted it to end.

He took a deep breath in then out trying to hold back the emotion, but failing miserably. She would want him to be happy…she'd made that clear in the countless dreams he'd had about her over the years. Okay that was his subconscious memory of her telling him she wanted him to have someone that made him happy, but his dreams of her were as real as when she was here. She never would have wanted him to live the way he had for so many years, emotionally detachedremoved from everything and everyone. She would have wanted him to fall in love again. So why did he feel as if…he actually jumped when the arms circled around his waist and caressed up his chest. He wiped a hand down his face and sniffed trying to swallow the tears that had started to fall. He'd been so lost in his thoughts he hadn't even realized the other man had stepped into the shower.

"Hey." Gibbs said clearing the emotion from his throat.

Tony instantly knew something was wrong. He didn't need to see Gibbs' face to know the man had been crying. Once, he had seen Gibbs cry and it had been by accident. It was during the case with Gibbs' mother-in-law and he had walked into the bathroom to find Gibbs washing away tears. "Jethro, what's wrong?"

Gibbs shook his head not wanting to speak until he had completely reined in the emotions.

"Don't." Tony sighed. "You said you weren't going to hide how you felt from me anymore."

Gibbs' eyes closed as he remembered the promise he had made just hours ago. "I need you."

"I'm right here."

Reaching back, Gibbs' hand clutched at Tony's hip and he thrust his ass back against the younger man's crotch.

Tony's hands instinctively found their way around Gibbs' hip and caressed up his chest.

Gibbs felt the warmth of the Italians body press against him and the cock against his ass start to harden causing him to thrust back again. He let out a deep groaned as Tony's fingers found their way to his nipples and pinched each into a hard nub. "Fuck yes!" His hand left Tony's hip and slammed against the tile wall in front of him. "Harder."

Without a second thought, Tony pinched and twisted the Gibbs' nipples drawing out some incomprehensible sound from the older man. "Is that what you want?"

"Yes." Gibbs hissed as he rocked his hips against Tony's hard cock trying desperately to claw his fingertips into the tile wall without success. Wanting something solid to hold onto he reached back for Tony's hip again, but his hand was pushed away.

"I didn't say you could touch." Tony snapped.

"I need to ask permission now?"

"Yes." Tony answered pinching down hard on the nipple he still held.

Ignoring the answer, Gibbs reached back for Tony again and his hand was grabbed and slammed back against the wall.

Making a tsk, tsk sound, Tony shook his head, his hands leaving Gibbs' chest only to find their way to Gibbs' back and dance up his lover's spine. His hips started to thrust against the welcoming ass before him and he was rewarded with another groan from Gibbs.

Tony's original concern suddenly gnawed at his mind struggling to make its presence known within the overwhelming desire surging through his body. He was about to ask, to question what brought this on when Gibbs spoke.

"You talk in your sleep."

"What?"

"You talk in your sleep." Gibbs sighed rubbing his ass back and forth over Tony's cock. "I've been awake and hard since I heard you."

"Was it fuck me harder Jethro, let me suck your cock or maybe I'm gonna come."

Gibbs snickered. "No."

When Gibbs didn't offer more, Tony whispered against Gibbs' ear. "Are you going to tell me or do I have to keep guessing?"

"You said you wouldn't last, that nothing had ever felt so good…..as your cock inside me."

The dream Tony had been having last night suddenly rushed back. He was fucking Gibbs, wanting to make it last but unable to control the overwhelming sensation to come. "I remember." Tony sighed his cock twitching. "It did feel amazing, at least in the dream."

"The reality will be even better." Gibbs knew the words would have an instant effect and he wasn't disappointed. Tony's hand glided around his waist and wrapped around his cock.

"Rock hard." Tony growled as he slowly started to stroke over Gibbs' length as he jabbed his cock into Gibbs' ass. "Just from knowing I wanna fuck you."

Gibbs didn't respond as his eyes closed and his hips matched the rhythm of Tony's strokes.

"Answer me!" Tony barked as he sped up. "Are you hard because you know I wanna fuck you?"

"Yes." Gibbs panted. "God yes."

Tony's placed a kiss on Gibbs' neck feeling the pulse under his lips, then bit down hard on Gibbs' jugular and the body against him tensed.

Gibbs howled as the odd mixture of pleasure and pain surged through his body. "Fuck me."

Bringing two fingers to Gibbs' lips, Tony expected Gibbs to accept them but instead Gibbs turned his head.

"Fuck me." Gibbs barked. "I want your cock."

Hearing Gibbs say those words, demanding it pushed Tony over the edge. He glanced around the shower, smirking when his eyes landed on the bottle of lube on the shelf. A pop of the cap and he was rubbing lube over his cock. Cock in hand he shoved it between Gibbs' ass cheeks surprised when Gibbs started to push back. His hands latched onto the older man's hips trying to stop the movement but his control faltered when the head of his cock was enveloped by the tight warmth. "Jethro!"

Clenching his jaw through the initial stinging sensation, the slick tile wall lacked the stability Gibbs needed and he reached out for the first thing he could think of. His hand shot out and grabbed the shower curtain rod. Feeling slightly more grounded, he hissed the same words again. "Fuck me."

Any rational thought Tony was holding on to disappeared and he jerked Gibbs' hips back as he drove his cock into the older man.

Gibbs' hand tightened around the rod, his knuckles turning white, his mouth falling open but admitting no sound. Before his body could even adjust to the intrusion it was being slammed forward then jerked back as Tony's cock was plunged inside him over and over again. His body was the first to surrender eagerly pushing back to impale himself deeper onto Tony's length. His mind however, refused to surrender so easily. It fought to hang onto some sense of control, but it was a hopeless battle. Over and over Tony plunged into him, the discomfort turning into sheer bliss and with that his mind relinquished all control. There was a voice begging for more, pleading for it harder and deeper and he finally realized it was him.

"Feels so good." Tony groaned desperate to get even closer to the man he loved. His hands slid from Gibbs' hips wrapping around Gibbs' chest and crushing their bodies together.

The closeness of their bodies forced Tony's cock into Gibbs at an upward angle and directly against his prostate. Gibbs heard the world around him start to crack and splinter and felt any sense of stability ripped away. The ecstasy induced madness consumed him and he welcomed it falling deeper and deeper into the delirium. He came without warning, his body betraying him a second time as every muscle in his body contracted and he heard some animalistic cry.

There was nothing but Gibbs now, that was the only thing in Tony's world now. The pressure of Gibbs' body against his, the warm tightness of Gibbs' around his cock, the sounds that poured from Gibbs' lips and echoed in his ears, and it was a world he never expected to experience. He knew he was about to come, knew when he heard Gibbs cry out in release that his was mere moments away. When it hit him it almost knocked him over and he fell against the side wall of the shower to keep them both upright. Part of him thought they had actually fallen when the world seemed to go black for a moment, but then the light burst back through the blackness. Somehow he had managed to stay standing, his back against the wall, Gibbs still clutched tightly in his arms. "Bed." He wanted to say more but right now he was barely able to stand and he just wanted to get them to a warm safe place.

"Bed." Gibbs panted back.

* * *

Someone was there, he could feel it. He slowly rolled over towards the night stand pretending to still be asleep. His hand slowly slid towards the stand and his fingers made contact with the gun. He drew it, pointed at the end of the bed and locked onto the target.

The figure just shook its head and slowly the gun came down and he placed back on the night stand.

"You knew I would come."

Gibbs nodded.

The woman glanced over at the other sleeping man, then back to Gibbs with a smile.

"He loves you more than you could ever know."

Gibbs looked over at Tony. The younger man was on his side hugging the pillow, the blanket draped over his mid-section, his legs and upper body exposed.

"He is a gorgeous man."

Gibbs' eyebrow went up as he stared back at the woman.

"What?" She grinned. "I can't appreciate a good looking man?"

Chuckling, Gibbs shook his head.

"I knew about Sam, this isn't a surprise."

"I know." Gibbs had always been open with her about what happened with Sam when he was younger. She didn't care in fact she was the least judgmental most understanding woman he had ever met.

"But I'm not here to talk about that." She walked towards his side of the bed and sat down on the edge next to him.

He resisted the urge to touch her because for some reason, this time he had a feeling she would tell him when it was time.

"I've been waiting for this day." She said with a sigh of relief. "For a very long time."

He nodded.

"He makes you laugh and smile again." She looked over at the sleeping man then laughed when she looked back at Gibbs. "And he makes you wanna pull out your hair sometimes."

Gibbs couldn't help but laugh. "Yes he does."

"But that's why you love him." She placed her hand over his on the bed. "He stands up to you, doesn't put up with your bull and he won't give up on you." She saw the acknowledgement in his eyes. "He'll demand more of you than anyone ever has…even me." She grinned. "And you'll love him even more because of it."

"I know but I need to-" He stopped when she squeezed his hand.

"You need to love him and let him love you. That's all." She patted his hand. "Letting me go doesn't diminish what we had and it doesn't mean you didn't love me. I will always be with you, a memory, but you deserve more." Her fingers brush his cheek. "You deserve someone that can hold you, comfort you, laugh with you and drive you crazy and not just in a dream, but for real."

He held her hand against his cheek knowing at any moment she could disappear.

"Thank you." She smiled softly.

His brow furrowed. "For what?"

"Loving him enough to let me go."

"I didn't think I could feel this way again." He shook his head. "I never wanted to because I always fuck it up."

She leaned forward and he thought she was going to kiss him.

His eyes closed and he inhaled deeply smelling the gardenia perfume she always wore. Then he felt the slap on the back of his head and his eyes shot open. The red head was smirking at him,

"You can't screw this one up, he won't let you." She placed her hand on his chest and closed her eyes for a moment as she felt the strong steady beat of his heart. Her eyes opened and locked on steely blue. "Tell him…tell him all the things you've longed to, tell him the truth, the good and the bad, just like you used to with me. He wants that, you want that, even though you can't admit it. He's not going anywhere Gibbs, you won't lose him." Her stare intensified. "I promise you."

"How do you know?"

Gently placing her hands on his cheeks, she kissed his forehead, then rested her forehead against his for a moment. Again his eyes had closed, then he felt her lips against his ear and heard the words she softly whispered. He reached out for her but there was nothing….

Gibbs shot upright in bed, gasping for air. Taking a deep breath he ran his hands down his face as the dream still lingered in his mind. He looked down at the man next to him and smiled. Just like in the dream Tony was curled up with the pillow, the blanket draped over his mid-section, his legs and upper body exposed. A crooked smirk curled at the corner of his lips. Tony was gorgeous, both naked and clothed. Even before all of this, Gibbs could get turned on just by the clothes Tony wore. The man looked amazing in almost anything, but in a tight pair of jeans and dress shirt…Gibbs rubbed his hand over his mouth afraid he was drooling. Dropping back down on the bed, he instinctively turned on his side wrapping his arm around the other man's waist and spooning tightly against the warm body. The younger man purred and buried himself deeper against Gibbs' body. He pressed a kiss to that soft spot just under Tony's ear. "I love you and I'm never letting you go." His grip on Tony tightened. "Never."

"Okay." Tony huffed. "But I would like to be able to breathe." He felt the arm around him loosen, but only slightly. Wiggling in Gibbs' grasp, Tony managed to turn around and meet somber blue eyes. "Are you okay?"

Gibbs gave a quick nod.

"That's not very reassuring." Tony sighed placing a hand on Gibbs' chest. "Is this about last night…when you were alone in the shower?"

"Yeah."

"I've only seen you cry once in the entire time I've known you." There were only two things that Tony knew could bring Gibbs to tears and he was pretty sure what the tears last night had been about. Still he asked. "What were the tears for last night?"

Gibbs took a deep breath and blew it out. "Letting go…of the past."

"I know how much you love her." Anyone that was close to Gibbs knew what letting go of the past meant. "And I know that's not going to change and I'm okay with that."

Capturing Tony's lips, Gibbs let the kiss express everything he knew he would try to express in words.

Surprised, the kiss made Tony shiver. It was a strange combination of gentleness, passion and endless love and he felt an emptiness when Gibbs' lips left his. Those piercing blue eyes fixed on his with an intensity that even Tony hadn't experienced before.

"I let her go…" The words cracked with emotion. "I finally let her go."

"Jethro." Tony whispered as he took Gibb's face in his hands. His eyes filled with unshed tears.

"I loved her and I'll never forgot that…but you have my heart, all of it." The dream flashed through his mind. "She wanted me to let go and fall in love again." He exhaled deeply. "And with you, because of you I finally did."

"I love you and nothing will ever change that." Tony shook his head. "I'm yours, always."

"Good." Gibbs' hands caressed up Tony's back causing the flesh to cover with goose bumps.

That million dollar smile filled Tony's face. "Now what?"

"Oh I have plans for you." Gibbs growled as his lips caressed Tony's neck.

Tony hummed. "And what do these plans involve?"

"You and I." Another kiss to Tony's neck. "Our bodies pressed together in a confined space." A kiss. "Arms above our heads." A kiss. "Breathing heavy from the strain." He grinned to himself when Tony's hips rocked against him. "It's probablye going to take about an hour, but if we both work hard we might get it done quicker."

"Quicker?"

"Yeah." Gibbs sighed. "I'm thinking we should put in a metal shower rod this time."

Tony's body shook with laughter. "You're the one that broke it why do I have to help."

"You're the reason I broke it."

"That was intense." Tony knew Gibbs was an intense man but last night had surprised even him.

"Yeah, it was." Gibbs fingers danced up and down Tony's spine.

"Was that part of the letting go?"

Gibbs shrugged. "A little, but it was ninety five percent about us."

Tony nodded

The green eyes still wanted more, Gibbs could tell and Shannon's words echoed in his mind. _Tell him all the things you've longed to, tell him the truth, the good and the bad, just like you use to with me. He wants that, you want that, even though you can't admit it._ "It was about love, trust…and control."

Biting at his lip, Tony stare into the blue eyes of the man he loved.

"And you are the only person I've loved enough, trusted enough to give that control to."

Tony's eyes widen as his mouth opened slightly. "That was-your first time!"

"With a man."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm telling you now."

"But I would have-"

"You would have what?" Gibbs sighed. "Held back, been gentler?" He shook his head. "That wasn't what I wanted or needed."

Tony's brow furrowed. "Wait, you said it was your first time with a man."

"I did." Gibbs smirked. "Look in the second drawer of the night stand." He let go of Tony and the younger man stared at him a moment then rolled over towards the night stand.

Opening the drawer, Tony's eyes went wide and his head jerked sideway and he looked at Gibbs a huge grin spreading across his face. "Wow!"

Sliding towards Tony, Gibbs pushed Tony down onto his back, draping his own body over the younger man's.

"Oh we are so playing with some of those." Tony chuckled.

"I'd rather play with the real thing." Gibbs' hand caressed up Tony's inner thigh then cupped the younger man's balls feeling the cock above start to twitch and harden.

Tony purred and stretched like some wild cat, his legs opening to give Gibbs more access.

Gibbs smirked at Tony's eagerness letting his fingers trace up the underside of Tony now rock hard cock.

"Yes." Tony whimpered rocking into Gibbs' touch and spreading his legs wider.

Gibbs hissed, his own cock now hard and begging for release.

Licking his suddenly parched lips, Tony stared into the blue eyes above him seeing the love reflected and sensing a question brewing behind them.

"Move in with me." Gibbs said as his thumb ran across the head of Tony's cock. "Here or somewhere else I don't care as long as we're together."

Tony moaned as his body shivered. "Is this really the time for this discussion?"

"Yes."

"Jethro." Tony sighed breathlessly as he arched begging for more of Gibbs' touch.

"I wanna come home to you every day, sleep next to you every night and wake up with you every morning."

"You sure about that?" Tony gave a half-hearted smile.

"Positive."

"Hmmmm." Tony grabbed the back of Gibbs' head shoving the older man's face into the crook of his neck.

Gibbs tasted the sweet flesh as part of him gave in to the growing need. It started with a taste, a lick then a nibble until he bit down and felt the hand on the back of his head forcing him deeper. Struggling against Tony's hand, Gibbs' lips brushed against Tony's ear. "Move in with me."

No answer.

"A home, together-" Gibbs wanted that more than anything. "Our home. Say-" He stopped when he heard the front door open.

"You didn't lock the door?" Tony groaned. "You put a lock on the door for a reason!"

Climbing out of bed, Gibbs scrambled for his jeans and pulled them on, then grabbed a t-shirt from the dresser. "Be right back."

"You don't even know who it is." Tony rolled his eyes as Gibbs headed out the door.


End file.
